THE  LITTLE  CHILD 
SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


GUILD  AND  POO 


. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


MAR  T  - 
MAY  7      1923 

MAY 

1  5 


APR  141924 


FEB  5  -  ^ 
NOV  13  1950' 


N01/20/960 


THE  BEACON  PRESS  PUBLICATIONS 
IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION 


THE  NEW  BEACON  COURSE 
OF  GRADED  LESSONS 

WILLIAM  I.  LAWRANCE 

FLORENCE  BUCK 

EDITORS 


THE  LITTLE  CHILD 

IN 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


THEME: 
LOVE  AND  SERVICE 


THE  LITTLE  CHILD 

IN 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

A  MANUAL  FOR  TEACHERS 
OF  BEGINNERS'  CLASSES 

(Ages,  four  and  five) 

BY 

CLARA  T.  GUILD 

AND 

LILLIAN  B.  POOR 


THE  BEACON  PRESS,  INC. 

25  BEACON  STREET 

BOSTON,  MASS. 


COPYRIGHT,    IQl8,    BY 
THE    BEACON    PRESS,    INC. 


All  rights  reserved 


54-0 


TO 

ALL  LITTLE  CHILDREN 
WHERE'ER  THEY  MAY  BE 


EDITORS'  PREFACE 

THIS  book  for  beginners  deals  with  two  fundamental 
ideas,  love  and  service.  The  social  point  of  view  is 
consistently  maintained.  The  child  is  taken  in  his  normal 
relations,  now  extended  from  the  home  to  that  larger  group 
found  in  the  Sunday  school.  While  the  needs  of  the  en- 
tire nature  of  the  child  and  the  conditions  which  surround 
his  life  are  carefully  considered,  the  emphasis  is  placed 
on  the  development  of  his  religious  qualities.  The  lessons 
aim  to  furnish  instruction  in  right  conduct  and  also  to 
present  ideals  which  shall  develop  a  quality  of  life,  a  spirit 
and  ami  in  the  child's  heart  which  result  in  fine  action 
and  a  noble  and  reverent  attitude  toward  the  world  in 
which  he  lives.  In  the  lesson  for  Easter,  for  example, 
the  thought  is  not  confined  to  the  awakening  of  nature; 
it  is  carried  on  to  the  awakening  of  new  life  and  new  love 
in  the  soul.  Even  little  children  respond  to  this  appeal, 
and  glimpse,  according  to  their  capacity,  something  of 
the  wonder  and  vastness  of  the  Easter  message.  The 
lessons  offer  an  opportunity,  steadily  developed  and  in- 
creased, for  the  children's  expression  of  the  spirit  of  love 
hi  service. 

These  lessons  are  the  outcome  of  wide  experience  in 
the  teaching  of  little  children.  They  have  been  evolved 
and  tested  by  the  authors  through  several  years  hi  the 
Beginners'  department  of  the  Disciples  School,  Boston. 
Miss  Poor  is  Assistant  Director  of  Kindergartens  in  the 
City  of  Boston,  and  Mrs.  Guild  is  Dean  of  the  Tuckerman 
School  for  the  training  of  religious  workers. 

9 


10  EDITORS'  PREFACE 

The  Beacon  Course  of  graded  lessons  for  religious  edu- 
cation is  designed  throughout  to  meet  life  at  each  stage 
of  its  development.  The  course  aims  to  awaken  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  to  bring  to  the 
pupils  their  heritage  of  Christian  achievement,  to  teach 
the  truths  of  the  Bible  and  of  nature  in  their  bearing  on 
life  and  destiny,  to  furnish  a  basis  for  a  judgment  of  values, 
and  to  arouse  ideals  of  character,  conduct  and  service 
which  shall  result  in  noble  manhood  and  womanhood.  It 
is  believed  that  this  first  book  in  the  course  will  reveal 
the  same  spirit  and  aim  which  animates  the  later  volumes, 
and  that  it  will  be  found  useful  in  helping  the  little  child 
to  realize  the  presence  of  God  and  to  take  the  first  steps 
in  the  love-inspired  life  of  duty  and  service. 

THE  EDITORS 


AUTHORS'  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

IN  presenting  this  book  the  authors  would  make  grateful 
acknowledgement  to  the  two  friends  through  whose 
generosity  the  use  of  much  original  material  has  been 
made  possible,  as  well  as  to  those  friends  who  examined 
the  original  plan  of  the  lessons  and  encouraged  then*  devel- 
opment. To  the  editors  for  then*  painstaking  care  in 
reviewing  the  book,  acknowledgement  is  also  made 

The  courtesy  of  the  following  named  publishers  has 
made  possible  the  use  of  copyrighted  material.  We  are 
indebted  to  Milton  Bradley  Company  for  a  generous 
amount  of  material  from  Half  a  Hundred  Stories,  from  In 
the  Child's  World,  and  from  The  Children's  Year;  to  J.  L. 
Hammett  Company  for  the  use  of  "Bennie's  Sunshine" 
by  Mabel  Rust,  from  The  Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten 
Stories;  and  to  A.  Flannagan  Company  for  material  from 
Child's  Christ  Tales. 

Thanks  are  also  due  to  The  Youth's  Companion  for  per- 
mission to  adapt  Arthur  Claire  Minot's  story  "Pietro"; 
to  The  Christian  Register  for  the  stories  " Learning  How" 
and  "The  Distrustful  Bunny,"  and  to  the  authors,  Kate 
Hudson  and  Rose  Brooks,  for  permission  to  adapt  the 
same;  to  W.  A.  Wilde  Company  and  to  Lucy  Stock  Chapin, 
composer,  for  the  use  of  music  from  Songs  of  the  Seasons; 
to  Kate  Louise  Brown  for  the  use  of  "The  Little  Plant" 
from  The  Plant  Baby  and  Its  Friends,  published  by  Silver, 
Burdett  &  Company. 

Special   arrangements   were   made   with   Oliver   Ditson 

Company  for  the  use  of  "Little  Lambs,  so  White  and 

11 


12  AUTHORS'  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

Fair,"  from  Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Folks;  with  Little, 
Brown  &  Company  for  "The  Coming  of  the  King,"  from 
The  Golden  Windows,  by  Laura  E.  Richards;  with  Maud 
Lindsay  for  "Out  of  the  Nest"  from  More  Mother  Stories. 
We  are  deeply  indebted  to  Annie  E.  Pousland,  Alice  S. 
Emery,  Lucia  C.  Vogel,  Elizabeth  Dunham  and  Edward 
A.  Church  for  use  of  original  material;  to  Andrew  Hofer 
Proudfoot  for  permission  to  reprint  "The  Stars  and  the 
Child"  and  "The  New  Year's  Message"  from  Child's 
Christ  Tales. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

EDITORS'  PREFACE 9 

AUTHORS'  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11 

INTRODUCTION 17 

THE  PLAN  OF  THE  COURSE 17 

INTRODUCING  THE  LESSON 18 

CONCERNING  THE  STORY 18 

How  TO  USE  THE  HANDWORK     19 

TEACHING  HYMNS  AND  PRAYERS 22 

LEARNING  THE  MEMORY  VERSE 23 

USING  THE  LEAFLET 24 

THE  DAY'S  OFFERING 24 

AN  ORDER  OF  SERVICE  .  26 


THE   LESSONS 

SEPTEMBER.     LOVE  IN  THE  HOME 

LESSON    1.  A  SUNDAY  HOME     28 

2.  JOSEPH  AND  His  FATHER 33 

3.  MIRIAM,  THE  FAITHFUL  SISTER 36 

4.  THE  LOVING  FAMILY 40 


OCTOBER.     LOVE  IN  OTHER  HOMES 

LESSON    5.  OUT  OF  THE  NEST 48 

6.  A  BRAVE  MOTHER 53 

7.  How  THE  BIRDS  HELPED  THISTLE  GOLDFINCH  ....  56 

8.  LASSIE'S  FAMILY 60 

13 


14 


CONTENTS 


NOVEMBER.     LOVE  IN  GRATITUDE 


PAGE 


LESSON      9.  WHEN  PEBTRO  GAVE  THANKS 64 

10.  LEARNING  How 68 

11.  A  LONG-AGO  THANKSGIVING 74 

12.  THE  THANKFUL  ROBIN 76 

DECEMBER.     LOVE  IN  A  GREAT  GIFT 

LESSON    13.  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 82 

14.  BRINGING  THEIR  GIFTS 85 

15.  THE  FIRST  JOURNEY 88 

16.  THE  NEW  YEAR'S  MESSAGE 91 

JANUARY.     LOVE  IN  NATURE'S  MESSAGE 

LESSON    17.  THE  STARS  AND  THE  CHILD 96 

18.  How  THE  MOON  HELPED 100 

19.  NATURE'S  BLANKET 105 

20.  THE  CHILDREN  OF  LIGHT 109 

FEBRUARY.     GOD'S  MESSAGE  IN  OUR  HEARTS 

LESSON    21.  THE  LISTENING  CHILD,  SAMUEL     114 

22.  THE  STILL,  SMALL  VOICE 117 

23.  WHAT  TOLD  HIM? 120 

24.  THE  WHITE  SOLDIER 122 

MARCH.     NEW  LIFE  — NEW  LOVE 

LESSON    25.  SPRING'S  BIRTHDAY  PRESENTS 130 

26.  THE  AWAKENING 137 

27.  THE  LITTLE  SEED 141 

28.  A  HAPPY  DAY .  ! 145 

28  (A).  AN  EASTER  STORY     150 

APRIL.     LOVE  THAT  PROTECTS 

LESSON    29.  THE  LITTLE  SWEET  PEA .  154 

30.  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD 158 

31.  THE  FRIENDLY  DARK 161 

32.  THE  DISTRUSTFUL  BUNNY  .  167 


CONTENTS 


15 


MAY.     LOVE  THAT  SERVES 


PAGE 


LESSON    33.  JESUS  AND  THE  LITTLE  CHILDREN 172 

34.  A  MORNING  RIDE 175 

35.  LITTLE  TED 179 

36.  THE  SHEPHERD  BOY  OF  ISRAEL 183 

JUNE.     LOVE  THAT  SERVES 

LESSON    37.  THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN     188 

38.  BENNIE'S  SUNSHINE 190 

39.  THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  DIPPER 193 

40.  THE  COMING  OF  THE  KING 197 

HYMNS  AND   SONGS 

All  Things  Come  from  Thee  .     210     Now  Thank  We  All  Our  God .  211 

Bells  of  Christmas 212     Offertory  March 210 

Child's  Prayer,  A 224     0  Little  Birds 207 

Consider  the  Lilies 222     Praise  Him  ........  204 

Doing  Our  Part 226     Prayer,  A     208 

For  the  Beauty  of  the  Earth  .     215     Silent  Night 214 

Friendly  Dark,  The    ....     223     Something  Happy 205 

God  of  the  Light 216     Still,  Small,  Holy  Voice,  The .  217 

Happiness 206     Thanks,  Hymn  of 225 

Heavenly  Shepherd,  True  and  Waiting  to  Grow 221 

Holy 203     We  Thank  Thee,  Father    .    .  229 

Hymn  of  Thanks 225     What  Can  Thy  Little  Chil- 

Lead  Us,  Heavenly  Father  .     219         dren  Bring 228 

Lift  Thine  Eyes 218     Willing  Heart,  The     ....  209 

Little  Lambs  So  White  and  With  Happy  Voices  Ringing  220 

Fair   .  227 


INTRODUCTION 

THESE  lessons  are  prepared  to  be  used  with  little 
children  in  Sunday  schools.  They  are  based  on  the 
conviction  that  the  fundamental  elements  of  religion  in 
the  hearts  of  children  may  be  developed  by  right  teaching; 
that  simple  stories  of  everyday  life  make  a  sure  appeal; 
and  that  situations  and  experiences  hi  the  story  which 
emphasize  love  and  kindness  bring  a  corresponding  re- 
sponse in  the  child's  thought  and  action. 

The  series  begins  with  the  story  of  a  little  girl  who,  going 
for  the  first  time  to  the  Sunday  school,  finds  there  what  she 
has  found  in  her  own  home,  and  recognizes  the  fact  that 
"Where  love  is,  there  is  home,"  —  which  is  the  theme  for 
the  first  two  groups  of  lessons. 

Love  shown  in  gratitude  marks  the  November  lessons, 
and  love  in  a  great  gift  is  the  theme  for  December.  Love 
which  speaks  through  nature's  message  and  through  the 
still,  small  voice  in  our  hearts  brings  to  the  lessons  of  Janu- 
ary and  February  an  intimate  thought  of  something  which 
"alway,  alway  sings,"  which  the  children  have  now  learned 
to  call  the  voice  of  God. 

The  spring  lessons,  with  the  Easter  message  of  "New 
life  —  new  love,"  lead  up  to  the  Easter  lesson,  and  are 
followed  by  those  which  reveal  love  in  protection.  The 
divine  protection  is  symbolized  by  the  care  of  the  shepherd 
for  the  sheep,  of  the  dog  for  the  little  child,  and  of  nature 
for  her  children.  The  series  culminates  hi  lessons  on  the 
"love  that  serves." 

The  careful  observer  will  discover  that  the  idea  of  help- 
fulness is  hi  every  lesson,  as  is  also  the  thought  of  responsi- 
bility. The  two  go  together  and  are  the  direct  outcome 

17 


18  INTRODUCTION 

of  love.  This  continued  repetition  of  motives  prepares 
for  the  lessons  which  are  to  follow  hi  other  books  in  the 
Beacon  Course,  and  gives  a  foundation  for  the  further  de- 
velopment of  the  child's  spiritual  life,  which  is  the  ultimate 
ami  of  all  religious  instruction. 

INTRODUCING  THE  LESSON 

It  is  suggested  that  something  of  natural  beauty  or 
interest  be  provided  each  day  to  introduce  the  lesson. 
Whether  there  be  brought  autumn  leaves,  a  branch  from 
a  nut  tree,  fall  flowers  or  spring  flowers,  seed-pods  or  co- 
coons, let  the  thought  be  directed  to  nature's  beauty  and 
bounty  and  to  the  idea  of  sharing  these  with  others.  Some- 
tunes  the  flowers  used  may  be  given  to  the  members  of 
the  class;  again  they  may  be  given  after  the  hour  to  some 
one  whom  the  children  shall  choose.  If  possible,  place 
what  has  been  brought  on  a  small  low  table  where  it  may 
be  easily  seen  and  enjoyed  during  the  nature  talk.  The 
illustrations  suggested  will  be  used  in  localities  where  they 
may  be  easily  obtained.  Others  may  be  as  effectively  used 
except  hi  the  few  cases  where  the  object  chosen  has  a 
direct  connection  with  the  thought  of  the  lesson. 

In  Sunday  schools  connected  with  churches  where  flowers 
are  used  for  pulpit  decoration  throughout  the  year,  it 
should  be  an  easy  and  natural  cooperation  between  church 
and  school  for  the  flower  committee  to  see  that  the  table 
of  the  little  children's  class  is  supplied  with  blossoms. 
Let  no  lesson  pass  without  some  reference  to  the  beauty 
of  nature. 

CONCERNING  THE  STORY 

Because  there  are  more  classes  of  little  children  whose 
ages  vary  between  three  and  six  years  than  of  classes  where 
all  are  of  one  age,  the  material  chosen  is  of  a  quality  and 


INTRODUCTION  19 

quantity  that  permits  adaptation.  Should  lesson-story  or 
hymn  or  memory  verse  be  found  to  be  too  long  or  too 
difficult,  the  wise  teacher  will  modify  these  to  suit  the 
needs  and  the  capacity  of  her  class.  If  a  simple  lesson- 
story  just  fits  the  very  youngest  children's  requirements, 
to  it  may  be  added  another  story  and  more  difficult  but 
related  memory  verses  or  hymns  for  the  older  pupils. 

The  teacher,  then,  will  study  these  lessons  with  her 
class  in  mind,  and  after  deciding  how  she  may  best  use 
what  is  here  offered,  she  will  search  for  such  additional 
material  as  her  particular  class  may  require. 

No  one  set  of  lessons  will  be  entirely  right  for  all  groups 
of  children,  and  that  is  well;  for  each  teacher,  by  using 
the  manual  as  a  guide,  is  enabled  to  prepare  for  her  class 
just  the  kind  and  amount  of  lesson-material  which  she 
herself,  as  well  as  the  class,  needs.  The  originality,  spon- 
taneity and  freshness  of  presentation  thus  acquired  are 
of  inestimable  value  to  class  and  teacher. 

No  one  will  expect  to  interest  a  class  hi  a  lesson  for  which 
she  feels  only  indifference.  Therefore,  study  the  lessons 
to  grasp  their  significance  and  to  catch  their  spirit.  Then 
learn  the  story,  the  hymn,  the  memory  work  for  each  day. 
In  preparing  the  lesson,  the  story  should  be  read  until 
its  substance  and  the  points  in  proper  sequence  are  fixed 
in  the  mind.  Then  tell  the  story  in  your  own  words  except 
in  cases  indicated,  and  tell  it  as  though  it  were  of  greatest 
importance.  Never  recite  the  words  merely  as  words. 
The  result  is  fatal  to  the  best  story  ever  written. 

How  TO  USE  THE  HANDWORK 

The  use  of  handwork  in  religious  instruction  is  based 
on  the  pupil's  need  for  activity  and  self-expression.  The 
child  of  kindergarten  age  is  ever  active  and  interested 


20  INTRODUCTION 

in  doing  something.  Handwork,  when  carefully  planned 
and  properly  directed,  helps  impress  the  thought  of  the 
lesson. 

The  handwork  suggested  in  these  lessons  was  chosen 
for  its  simplicity  and  appropriateness.  It  will  be  easy  to 
substitute  other  forms  or  to  enlarge  the  amount  if  desired. 
The  teacher  should  remember,  however,  that  it  is  easy  to 
devote  too  long  a  tune  to  this  part  of  the  lesson  "  because 
the  children  like  it,"  without  considering  whether  the  main 
part  of  the  teaching  has  been  given  the  tune  and  emphasis 
it  should  receive.  To  help  even  very  little  children  to 
listen  to  good  questions  and  to  express  their  answers  is 
an  opportunity  which  should  not  be  slighted. 

Before  any  handwork  is  attempted  it  is  important  to 
make  plain  to  the  children  what  is  to  be  done.  Talk  about 
the  text  or  drawing  to  be  colored  or  traced,  and  show  its 
connection  with  the  thought  of  the  story.  Try  to  have 
the  work  done  well  without  changing  its  significance  from 
thought-expression  to  a  purely  mechanical  process. 

Often  the  work  may  better  be  finished  at  home.  This 
will  save  tune  for  other  class  work  and  help  toward  co- 
operation with  the  family,  which  is  very  desirable. 

The  material  should  be  prepared  and  all  arrangements 
made  for  its  use  outside  the  class.  Pencils  and  crayons, 
paste,  scissors,  plasticine  and  papers  or  designs  for  cutting, 
folding  or  drawing,  should  be  in  order  before  the  class 
assembles.  There  will  be  less  distraction  and  waste  of 
time  if  the  material  be  placed  on  a  table  away  from  the 
circle  where  the  story  is  told,  to  which  the  chairs  may  be 
taken  at  the  right  tune. 

For  the  color  work,  Rubens'  crayola  may  be  used,  as 
the  marks  do  not  rub  off.  Harbutt's  plasticine  is  recom- 
mended for  the  modelling.  This  may  be  used  over  and 
over,  and  enough  for  a  large  class  will  be  found  in  two 


INTRODUCTION  21 

pound  packages.  The  hands  may  be  rubbed  dry  after  the 
exercise  with  coarse  paper  or  paper  towelling. 

It  is  well  to  provide  sheets  of  blank  paper  for  very  young 
children  to  use  in  free  drawing  while  the  teacher  is  direct- 
ing the  work  of  older  members  of  the  class. 

Paper-folding  is  a  form  of  handwork  easily  adapted  to 
these  stories.  In  Lesson  2,  for  example,  papers  may  be 
folded  to  suggest  the  tents  in  which  Joseph  and  his  people 
lived.  The  sheepfold  (see  Lesson  30)  may  be  represented 
by  folding  a  long,  narrow  strip  of  paper  into  four  parts 
and  shaping  into  a  hollow  square.  Join  by  inserting  one 
end  into  a  slit  in  the  other,  and  finish  by  cutting  a  small 
door  in  one  side. 

There  are  easy  and  attractive  forms  of  handwork  which 
help  impress  the  lessons  relating  to  the  seasons  or  the 
festivals  of  the  Christian  year.  Sheets  of  paper  may  be 
prepared  for  class  use  with  stars  of  various  sizes,  or  Christ- 
mas trees  or  wreaths,  in  outline,  to  be  cut  and  colored  by 
the  children.  Baskets  drawn  in  outline  may  be  cut  out 
and  pasted  on  cards  with  the  upper  edge  of  the  basket 
free,  making  it  possible  to  insert  flowers  into  this  space. 
Or  baskets  may  be  made  from  squares  of  paper.  Provide 
five-inch  squares  in  which  you  have  cut  a  slit  two  inches 
long  from  each  corner  on  the  diagonal  line  connecting 
opposite  corners.  Have  the  children  fold  to  make  the  bot- 
tom, crease  and  paste  overlapping  sides,  and  attach  a  strip 
of  paper  for  the  handle.  The  basket  may  then  be  used 
as  a  gift  of  love  and  as  an  expression  of  a  desire  to  serve. 

Paper  hexagons  for  snow-flake  cutting  (see  Lesson  19) 
may  be  bought  from  any  dealer  in  kindergarten  supplies.1 

To  cut  the  six-angled  star  for  the  snow-flake,  fold  the 
hexagon  by  placing  two  opposite  edges  together.  Holding 

1  These  are  sold  by  the  Milton  Bradley  Company,  Boston,  at  20 
cents  per  hundred. 


22  INTRODUCTION 

the  folded  side  toward  you,  fold  first  the  right  edge,  and 
then  the  left,  down  to  the  edges  first  joined,  thus  making 
an  equilateral  triangle.  Cut  to  the  centre  of  this  triangle 
through  all  thicknesses  of  paper  from  the  two  corners 
which  touch  the  edges  first  joined.  Open  and  mount  the 
star  thus  formed  on  colored  paper.  Variety  may  be  se- 
cured by  using  hexagons  of  different  sizes,  and  by  indenting 
the  cut  lines.  Handwork  of  this  type  may  well  follow 
actual  observation  of  the  beauty  of  the  snow-flake. 

Remember  to  commend  improvement.  It  will  encour- 
age continued  effort,  which  hi  turn  will  help  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  children  who  are  being  taught. 

TEACHING  HYMNS  AND  PRAYERS 

The  hymns,  songs  and  responses  to  be  used  with  these 
lessons  are  printed  on  the  leaflets  which  accompany  them. 
Some  of  these  are  fitted  to  express  the  child's  emotions, 
some  are  suited  to  general  use  but  simple  and  concrete 
enough  to  be  used  by  children:  texts  of  Scripture  set  to 
music,  and  responses  to  prayers.  A  few  church  hymns 
are  included.  This  is  done  both  to  meet  the  needs  of  the 
older  members  of  the  class,  and  to  give  to  all  some  share 
in  the  Christian  heritage  of  hymns  and  preparation  for 
worship  in  later  years. 

Both  words  and  music  should  be  carefully  taught. 
When  the  hymn  has  been  talked  about,  and  the  words 
repeated  after  the  teacher  line  by  line,  the  tune  may  be 
played  through  and  then  sung  by  teacher  and  class.  When 
there  is  no  piano  or  organ,  the  teacher  may  first  sing  the 
hymn  that  the  children  may  hear  the  tune  and  feel  the 
rhythm. 

Children  can  sing  well  and  heartily  only  as  they  are 
familiar  with  both  words  and  tune.  Therefore  all  the 


INTRODUCTION  23 

hymns  should  be  sung  frequently,  so  that  by  the  end  of 
the  year  the  children  will  know  at  least  one  stanza  from 
each  of  six  hymns.  Most  classes  will  know  more  than  this 
number.  In  the  review  it  adds  to  the  interest  to  change 
the  position  of  the  class.  The  children  will  like  to  sing 
grouped  about  the  piano,  opposite  the  piano  or  formed 
hi  two  lines,  each  line  singing  a  stanza.  Ask  a  child  to 
choose  what  the  class  shall  sing  and  help  him  in  his  choice. 
It  is  well  to  select  a  hymn  for  closing  that  may  be  easily 
learned,  and  use  the  same  selection  for  a  number  of  con- 
secutive Sundays,  changing  for  another  appropriate  hymn  as 
the  interest  lags.  The  prayers  are  to  be  taught  by  use, 
being  said  reverently  by  the  teacher  and  gradually  learned 
by  repetition.  When  the  prayer  is  sung,  as  is  often  the 
case,  explain  its  special  meaning  and  try  to  have  that 
expressed. 

Simple  prayers  for  the  opening  and  the  closing  of  the 
session  are  given,  which  may  be  used  throughout  the  year. 
Other  prayers  have  been  suggested,  however,  for  use  in 
connection  with  the  lessons  if  desired. 

LEARNING  THE  MEMORY  VERSE 

To  remember  texts  is  not  easy  for  very  little  children. 
When  the  memory  verse  has  a  concrete  significance  it  may 
be  recalled  by  alluding  to  the  story  or  lesson  with  which 
it  was  connected,  sometimes  by  reminding  the  children 
of  the  way  in  which  the  verse  was  first  learned,  later  in 
the  year  by  giving  a  single  word  of  the  verse  to  suggest 
the  rest. 

The  meaning  should  be  made  as  clear  as  possible  when 
the  verse  is  given,  then  the  words  should  be  repeated  after 
the  teacher  by  the  children,  in  unison  and  separately. 
Point  out  the  words  of  the  memory  verse  on  the  lesson 


24  INTRODUCTION 

leaf.  Even  before  children  can  read  at  all,  the  form  and 
place  of  the  words  will  recall  them  so  that  they  may  be 
repeated. 

USING  THE  LEAFLET 

The  leaflet  provided  each  week  is  intended  first  of  all 
to  be  attractive  to  the  child,  and  to  emphasize  and  illus- 
trate what  is  taught.  It  makes  also  a  medium  of  com- 
munication between  the  school  and  the  home.  The  first 
leaflet  for  each  month  contains  a  letter  from  the  teacher 
to  the  parents,  indicating  ways  in  which  the  home  may 
reinforce  the  religious  instruction  of  the  school.  The 
lesson-story  is  summarized  on  each  leaflet,  so  that  older 
members  of  the  family  may  be  able  to  question  the  child 
about  it,  see  the  application  of  the  handwork  to  the  point 
to  be  enforced,  and  give  help  in  teaching  the  hymns, 
prayers  and  memory  verses,  and  hi  the  preparation  of  any 
suggested  handwork.  Such  help  should  be  given  by  en- 
couragement and  oversight,  never  by  doing  the  work  for 
the  child. 

The  leaflet  is  to  be  taken  home  hi  its  envelope  each 
week  and  brought  back  the  following  Sunday.  The  teacher 
will  then  place  it  hi  its  cover,  binding  in  the  appropriate 
leaflet  for  the  Sunday  on  which  the  child  is  absent.  Un- 
finished handwork  on  a  leaflet  will  indicate  absence  and 
the  book  will  thus  show  at  the  end  of  the  year  the  attend- 
ance of  the  pupil  and  the  complete  series  of  lessons. 

THE  DAY'S  OFFERING 

A  part  of  each  day's  exercise  is  the  collection  of  the 
offerings  from  the  class.  The  contributions  of  little  chil- 
dren have,  to  them,  little  point  or  purpose  apart  from  the 
valuable  habit  of  giving.  It  is  well  to  explain  to  them 


INTRODUCTION  25 

for  what  their  contributions  are  to  be  used,  having  pre- 
viously decided  on  a  suitable  purpose.  Any  cause  having 
to  do  with  children  or  any  purpose  within  the  comprehen- 
sion of  the  class  is  by  preference  to  be  chosen.  To  do 
something  for  a  baby  or  for  a  little  child  or  for  a  group  of 
children  is  a  practical  service  for  little  people  to  render. 

The  collection  of  the  children's  offering  may  be  made  a 
formal  part  of  the  service  as  in  church,  with  some  one 
chosen  to  receive  it,  after  which  the  class  may  sing  "All 
things  come  from  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  of  Thine  own  have 
we  given  unto  Thee,"  or  "Of  every  man  that  giveth  it 
willingly  with  his  heart,  I  will  take  his  offering." 


AN  ORDER  OF  SERVICE 

THE  best  results  are  obtained   by  following  the  same 
general  order  of  exercises  each  Sunday,  varying  it 
as  particular  lessons  or  as  conditions  seem  to  require.    The 
following  is  offered  as  a  suggested  order,  based  upon  the 
experience  of  the  authors. 

QUIET  Music 

OPENING  HYMN 

PRAYER 

NATURE  TALK 

HYMNS,  OR  NATURE  SONGS 

OFFERING 

LESSON-STORY 

MEMORY  VERSE 

HANDWORK 

CLOSING  HYMN 

CLOSING  PRAYER 


26 


SEPTEMBER 


Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE    AND    SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE   IN   THE    HOME 

I  know  the  lands  are  lit 
With  all  the  autumn  blaze  of  golden-rod, 
And  everywhere  the  purple  asters  nod 
And  bend  and  wave  and  flit. 

Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

THE  significance  of  the  lessons  for  the  month  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  quotation  on  the  leaflet  from  Oliver 
Wendell  Holmes,  "Where  love  is,  there  is  home."  The 
thought  to  be  emphasized'  is  that  it  is  love  which  makes 
the  child  contented  and  happy,  whether  that  love  is  found 
in  one  place  or  another,  whether  it  is  between  parent  and 
child,  or  brother  and  sister,  or  teacher  and  pupil. 

If  the  children  are  too  young  or  are  unaccustomed  to 
the  use  of  crayon,  provide  separate  sheets  of  blank  paper 
for  free  expression  and  turn  later  in  the  year  to  the  color 
work  provided  for  this  month. 

For  the  quiet  music,  MacDowelPs  "Water  Lily"  in 
Woodland  Sketches  is  suggested;  also  "Stockwell"  (No. 
122  in  Hymn  and  Tune  Book). 


27 


LESSON  1 
A  SUNDAY  HOME 


Hymn:  "Heavenly  Shepherd,  True  and  Holy."    (Page  203) 

Prayer:  Help  our  hearts  to  love  Thee, 
Help  our  hands  to  serve  Thee, 
Help  our  lips  to  praise  Thee, 
Forever.  Amen. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Golden-rod  and  asters. 
Memory  Verse:  Where  love  is,  there  is  home. 

Handwork:   Trace  outline  of  church  and  color,  as  directed. 
Or,  paste  over  outline  design  a  picture  of  the 
home  church. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

(~*\  UIDE  the  thought  and  talk  by  questions  to  the  beauty 
\J  of  the  flowers  and  our  happiness  in  them  whether 
they  are  in  the  field  or  in  the  home. 

Control  irrelevant  talk  while  encouraging  free  expression. 
Question  about  what  little  children  are  likely  to  wish  to  do 
when  any  of  the  family  are  going  away;  if  it  is  always  best 
for  children  to  go  with  the  others  and  why;  who  helped  the 
children  in  this  class  to  get  ready  to  come  to  school;  if 
mothers  help  their  children  on  other  days;  if  children 
could  be  happy  or  get  along  without  this  care  and  love; 
if  they  could  be  happy  with  their  parents  in  a  home  in 
quite  another  place. 

The  story,  "Jesus  in  the  Temple,"  is  introduced  to  show 
the  desire  of  another  child  who  wished  to  go  to  a  place  of 
worship  with  his  family  and  who  also  had  to  wait  to  be- 
come a  certain  age  before  going. 


A  SUNDAY  HOME 

LUCY'S  home  was  on  a  hill  from  which  she  could  look 
far  down  the  street.  She  often  stood  at  the  window 
and  watched  the  people  who  were  going  to  the  railway 
station,  and  on  Sunday  she  watched  Francis  and  Rosa- 
mond when  they  were  going  to  the  church,  and  wished 
that  she  might  go  with  them. 

"When  you  are  four  you  may  go,"  her  mother  had  said. 
When  that  tune  came  there  was  much  excitement  in  the 
home  of  these  children  one  Sunday  morning,  for  Lucy 
could  now  do  as  she  had  long  wished. 

Each  one  helped  get  ready,  so  that  no  one  should  be 
late,  and  so  it  happened  that  on  this  first  morning  all  three 
of  the  children  were  in  the  church  school  very  early  —  so 
early  that  Miss  Willett  had  a  chance  to  talk  with  Lucy, 
to  admire  her  red  bonnet  and  coat  and  to  tell  her  where 
they  should  be  placed  until  it  was  time  for  her  to  go  home. 

A  little  new  chair  in  the  circle  was  pointed  out  as  Lucy's. 
Soon  other  children  came.  They  all  seemed  very  kind 
and  very  glad  to  see  the  little  new-comer  in  their  group. 

When  it  was  quiet  some  sweet  music  was  played.  The 
children  sang,  and  repeated  some  verses  they  knew,  and 
sang  again,  and  then  Miss  Willett  told  them  a  story.  Would 
you  like  to  know  what  it  was?  I  will  tell  it  to  you. 

A  long  time  ago  a  little  boy  who  lived  far  from  here 
wanted  very  much  to  go  to  a  great  city  where  his  father 
and  mother  went  every  year  to  attend  a  celebration  in 
their  church.  They  called  their  church  a  temple,  and 
Jesus,  the  boy  who  had  wished  many  years  to  go,  was  told 
that  when  he  was  twelve  he,  too,  could  go  to  the  temple. 

29 


30       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

That  seemed  a  long  time  to  wait;  but  at  last  the  year 
came,  and  he  was  going!  For  days  he  thought  about  it, 
getting  more  and  more  anxious  to  start. 

When  the  tune  came,  not  only  the  family  of  Jesus,  but 
many  other  families  were  going  to  the  great  city,  so  there 
was  pleasant  companionship  all  the  way. 

They  rode  on  camels  or  on  donkeys  or  walked,  mindful 
of  those  too  old  or  too  young  to  go  fast  or  far.  Several 
days  were  spent  on  the  way.  They  slept  on  the  ground 
at  night  and  at  noon  they  rested,  and  friends  and  neigh- 
bors talked  together  and  watched  the  children  at  their 
play. 

At  last  the  city  was  in  sight  and  soon  the  temple  was 
seen  shining  in  the  bright  sunlight.  How  glad  they  all 
were!  Some  dropped  on  their  knees  and  said  prayers. 
Others  hastened  on. 

The  little  boy  Jesus  did  not  stop  now  to  look  at  a  new 
flower  by  the  wayside  or  to  talk,  but  walked  steadily  on 
toward  the  city. 

At  last  they  were  really  in  the  city,  and  then  in  the 
temple  itself.  Can  you  not  imagine  how  Jesus  looked  at 
everything  —  at  the  high  rooms,  at  the  steps  and  large 
pillars,  and  at  the  many  learned  men  who  were  in  the 
temple?  Do  you  not  suppose  he  asked  many  questions 
about  all  he  saw?  And  was  he  not  very  glad  he  had  been 
allowed  to  come? 

When  the  day  came  to  go  home,  the  father  and  mother 
of  Jesus  started  off  with  many  who  were  going  home  too, 
thinking,  of  course,  that  their  boy  was  with  the  others 
in  the  company.  But  when  a  little  later  they  inquired 
where  he  was,  nobody  could  tell  them.  They  looked  and 
looked,  and  not  finding  Jesus,  they  went  back  to  the  city 
and  inquired  of  all  whom  they  met  if  they  had  seen  a  lost 
boy. 


A  SUNDAY  HOME  31 

Then  remembering  how  much  Jesus  had  talked  about 
the  temple  and  how  much  he  enjoyed  it,  they  went  there 
to  look,  and  sure  enough,  there  they  found  him.  He  was 
very  busy  talking  with  the  learned  men  whom  he  saw 
there  and  asking  questions  of  them  and  sometimes  telling 
them  what  he  himself  thought. 

His  parents  were  rejoiced  to  find  him,  but  Jesus  seemed 
surprised  that  they  had  looked  so  long,  for  he  said,  "Why! 
didn't  you  know  I  would  be  in  my  Father's  house?"  He 
meant  that  he  loved  that  place  so  much  that,  of  course, 
he  would  be  hi  the  temple. 

That  was  the  end  of  the  story  Miss  Willett  told  the 
children.  Lucy  remembered  almost  all  of  it  and  told  it  to 
her  mother  that  night. 

"But  hark!  There  is  the  music  of  the  organ,"  said  Miss 
Willett.  "It  is  time  to  go  to  see  the  people  in  church." 
So  into  a  little  room  the  children  quietly  went,  and  to  a 
window  that  had  a  broad  seat.  Here  Lucy  and  the  other 
little  children  sat  and  listened  to  the  hymn  of  praise  the 
people  sang  and  to  the  minister  who  blessed  them.  Then 
they  went  home. 

Lucy  ran  home  as  fast  as  she  could,  to  tell  Mother,  who 
was  waiting  for  them  at  the  door,  all  about  the  morning. 

"Why,  Mother,"  she  said,  "we  were  told  the  nicest 
story  and  we  sang  something  that  I  could  sing  and  we 
had  just  the  happiest  tune!  It  is  almost  like  home, 
Mother,  the  people  are  so  kind.  Is  it  a  Sunday  home?" 

"Yes,  my  child,  if  you  will  make  it  so,"  her  mother  said, 
and  always  after  that  Lucy  called  the  church  her  Sunday 
home. 

Don't  you  think  that  is  a  good  name  for  it? 


32       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  LESSON 

The  various  other  teaching  exercises  and  devotional  ele- 
ments indicated  in  the  Order  of  Service  (page  26)  should 
follow  the  story.  They  are: 

Teaching  the  memory  verse. 

March,  motion  song,  or  other  activities,  and  handwork. 

Putting  leaflets  in  envelopes  to  take  home. 

Quiet  music,  for  return  to  circle. 

Closing  hymn. 

Closing  prayer. 

The  last  moment  of  the  hour  should  be  made  as  quiet, 
impressive  and  devotional  as  possible. 

These  are  general  directions  which  apply  to  all  the  lessons. 
They  will  not  be  repeated  in  the  lessons  which  follow. 


LESSON  2 
JOSEPH  AND   HIS  FATHER 


Hymn:  "Praise  Him."     (Page  204) 

Prayer:  May  we,  Thy  children,  happy  be 
In  loving  all  and  serving  Thee. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:   Milkweed  pods. 
Memory  Verse:   (As  in  Lesson  i). 

Handwork:  Cut  and  fold  paper  tents. 
Free  drawing  of  tents. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  beauty  of  the  covering  for  the  silky  filaments 
and  seeds  inside.     The  pod  is  the  home  of  the  seeds 
until  it  breaks  and  the  seeds  fly  away. 

Notice  in  the  story  that  the  details  given  are  those  that 
point  to  the  gift  as  an  expression  of  the  love  of  the  father 
for  his  son,  of  the  son  for  his  father,  and  the  recognition 
by  the  brothers  of  this  love.  In  telling  it  follow  the  form 
here  given  as  closely  as  possible.  Introduce  the  story  by 
referring  to  our  own  homes  which  we  love  because  of  the 
people  hi  them,  by  speaking  of  the  coats  worn  by  the 
children  and  provided  by  loving  parents  and  by  notic- 
ing the  colors  of  the  garments.  Make  a  point  of  willing 
service  as  a  loving  gift. 


33 


JOSEPH  AND  HIS  FATHER 

TOSEPH  and  his  father  and  brothers  lived  a  long  time 
J  ago.  Their  home  was  in  the  country  where  Joseph's 
father  had  lived  when  he  was  a  boy,  and  then*  relatives 
had  lived  there  too.  So  Joseph  and  his  father  cared  very 
much  for  then*  home. 

They  did  not  live  at  all  as  any  of  you  live,  for  their  home 
was  not  hi  a  house  but  in  a  tent.  When  Joseph's  father 
wanted  to  move  to  a  place  where  there  was  more  grass  for 
his  sheep  and  cattle  to  eat,  it  was  easy  to  fold  up  the  tent, 
put  it  on  the  back  of  a  camel  and  find  a  new  place  for  their 
home. 

Although  these  people  lived  far  away  and  long  ago,  and 
dwelt  in  tents  which  were  moved  from  place  to  place,  the 
father  loved  Joseph  just  as  your  father  loves  you;  and  he 
showed  his  love  for  his  boy  as  your  father  would  show  his 
love  for  you. 

He  gave  him  something  —  something  that  Joseph  liked. 
It  was  a  beautiful  coat.  None  of  the  other  sons  had  one 
like  it,  and  it  was  so  bright  and  gay  with  its  many  colors 
that  it  pleased  the  lad  very  much. 

Of  course,  Joseph  would  wish  to  give  to  his  father  some- 
thing to  show  his  own  love  for  him.  He  could  not  buy 
anything  or  have  any  gift  made  for  his  father,  but  he  did 
willingly  whatever  his  father  asked  him  to  do,  which  was 
a  finer  gift  than  any  he  might  buy. 

Once  when  the  brothers  had  taken  the  sheep  to  a  dis- 
tant pasture,  their  father  wished  to  hear  from  them  and  to 
know  if  all  was  well  with  them  and  with  their  flock  of  sheep. 
"Here  am  I,"  Joseph  said,  which  meant,  "I  am  ready  to 

34 


JOSEPH  AND  HIS  FATHER  35 

do  as  you  bid  me."  So  his  father  sent  the  son  to  find  out 
all  about  the  brothers  and  to  bring  back  word  of  them. 

This  was  a  long  journey,  and  it  was  not  easy  to  find  the 
brothers  and  their  flocks;  but  Joseph  inquired  of  a  man 
who  directed  him  which  way  to  go  and  at  last  he  found 
them. 

The  brothers  saw  him  coming  a  long  way  off.  At  first 
they  could  not  tell  who  he  was,  but  as  the  figure  came 
nearer  and  nearer,  they  saw  it  was  Joseph,  for  he  wore 
the  coat  of  many  colors,  the  love-gift  of  their  father. 

Then  Joseph  told  his  errand.  He  inquired  for  each  one, 
and  for  the  sheep  and  cattle,  and  as  they  talked  the  broth- 
ers felt,  "Our  father  loves  us  —  but  this  lad  with  the  bright 
coat  he  surely  loves  dearly,  and  how  he  trusts  him,  or  he 
never  would  have  sent  him  to  take  this  journey  alone." 


LESSON  3 
MIRIAM,   THE  FAITHFUL   SISTER 

Hymn:  "  Something  Happy."    (Page  205.)    Review  hymns  hi 
Lessons  1  and  2. 

Prayers:  Opening  prayer  hi  Lesson  1. 
Closing  prayer  hi  Lesson  2. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:   Cat-tails  and  rushes. 

Memory  Verse :  The  words  of  the  hymn : 

"  Every  morning  seems  to  say, 
'  There's  something  happy  on  the  way, 
And  God  sends  love  to  you.' " 

Handwork:  Model  cradle  from  plasticine. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  beautiful  color  and  the  softness  of  the  cat- 
tails and  how  easily  birds  and  animals  may  hide  among 
them  when  they  are  growing.    Tell  where  they  grow. 

The  story  today  is  about  a  little  baby  who  was  hidden 
in  tall  rushes.  Ask  in  what  very  little  babies  are  some- 
times placed  to  sleep;  whether  children  sometimes  help 
in  the  care  of  little  ones  in  the  homes.  Explain  that  it  is 
not  enough  to  provide  for  children  food  and  clothing, 
they  must  be  saved  from  danger  also. 


36 


MIRIAM,  THE  FAITHFUL  SISTER 

ONCE  there  was  a  dear  little  Hebrew  girl  whose  name 
was  Miriam.    She  had  a  kind  father  and  mother  who 
loved  her  very  dearly,  and  a  little  brother  Aaron,  too, 
who  was  quite  big  enough  to  play  with  her.    Such  happy 
times  they  had  all  day  long  in  that  sunny  country!  ' 

Just  as  this  story  begins,  a  dear  little  baby  had  come  to 
live  in  that  home.  Every  one  was  so  glad!  Father  and 
mother  thought  he  was  the  most  wonderful  baby  in  the 
world,  and  Miriam  loved  him  so  dearly  that  she  used  to 
make  little  songs  about  him  which  she  would  sing  as  she 
watched  him  in  his  mother's  arms. 

Pharaoh,  the  king  of  the  country  in  which  this  happy 
family  lived,  was  a  cruel  king  and  did  not  like  the  Hebrew 
people.  One  day  he  sent  his  soldiers  out  telling  them  to 
take  all  the  little  boy  babies  they  could  find  in  the  homes 
of  the  Hebrews  and  throw  them  into  the  river. 

Oh,  how  sad  those  mothers  were!  Miriam's  mother  hid 
her  little  baby  brother  in  the  house  and  the  soldiers  went 
right  past  the  door,  never  knowing  there  was  a  baby  there. 
Later  the  king  sent  the  soldiers  out  again,  telling  them  to 
look  carefully  and  see  if  they  had  overlooked  any  little 
one.  But  Miriam's  mother  had  been  very  busy  since  they 
had  come  before;  she  had  been  making  a  little  basket  of 
strong  sweet  grass  to  use  for  a  cradle  for  her  baby.  When 
she  heard  the  soldiers  were  coming  again,  she  covered  this 
basket  all  over  with  pitch  so  the  water  could  not  get  into 
it.  Then  she  put  the  baby  inside  and  hid  it  in  the  tall  reeds 
near  the  bank  of  the  river,  telling  Miriam  to  watch  and 
see  that  nothing  harmed  him. 

37 


38       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Miriam  was  glad  to  do  this,  for  she  liked  to  play  by  the 
river,  the  soft  green  grass  felt  cool  to  her  feet  and  the  reeds 
were  so  tall  that  they  shaded  her  from  the  warm  sun.  She 
soon  found  a  place  by  the  river  where  she  could  sit  and 
watch  the  cradle  as  it  floated  in  the  water. 

Just  watching  such  a  dear  baby  was  a  joy,  and  Miriam 
was  very  happy;  but  when  he  went  to  sleep,  she  began  to 
think  of  other  things,  and  forgetting  what  Mother  had  said, 
she  began  to  run  around  picking  the  beautiful  flowers 
which  grew  near  by,  and  racing  with  the  golden  butterflies 
as  they  flew  from  flower  to  flower.  After  a  while  she  grew 
tired  of  this;  she  knew  there  were  other  little  children  play- 
ing in  the  field  beyond  the  river  and  she  did  want  to  run 
away  to  them,  for  they  could  really  play,  much  better  than 
a  sleeping  baby  could.  Suddenly  she  remembered  what 
Mother  had  said  and  remembered,  too,  that  her  baby  was 
dearer  than  all  of  the  other  children  together,  and  she  ran 
back  to  her  seat  by  the  river. 

The  day  was  nearly  over  when  Miriam  saw  a  beautiful 
woman  and  her  servants  coming  down  the  path  to  the 
river,  and  she  hid  quickly  in  the  rushes  near  the  baby, 
wondering  what  would  happen. 

The  princess,  King  Pharaoh's  daughter,  had  come  to 
the  river  to  bathe,  and  when  she  saw  the  queer  little  cradle 
floating  on  the  water  she  said  to  her  servant,  "  Bring  me 
the  basket  which  I  see  in  the  water."  The  maid  brought 
it  to  her,  and  as  she  lifted  the  cover  the  baby  stretched  up 
his  arms  and  smiled.  The  princess  smiled,  too,  as  she  said, 
"It  is  a  little  Hebrew  child  which  has  been  hidden  from 
the  soldiers.  He  is  so  beautiful,  I  cannot  let  him  stay  here 
and  be  drowned.  I  will  take  him  home  and  call  him  my 
own  child.  His  name  shall  be  Moses,  which  means  'taken 
out/  for  have  I  not  drawn  him  out  of  the  water?" 

Then  Miriam,  who  watched  everything  they  did,  ran  up 


MIRIAM,  THE  FAITHFUL  SISTER  39 

to  the  princess  and  said,  "Shall  I  not  find  a  Hebrew  woman 
to  take  care  of  him  for  you?" 

The  princess  was  glad  to  have  her  find  some  one,  and 
Miriam  ran  home  to  tell  her  mother  what  had  happened 
and  to  lead  her  to  the  princess.  So  the  princess  gave  the 
baby  to  his  own  mother,  telling  her  to  take  care  of  him 
until  he  was  old  enough  to  come  to  the  king's  palace  and 
live  with  her. 

Oh,  how  happy  the  dear  mother  was  as  she  went  home 
with  her  baby  in  her  arms  and  her  little  daughter  by  her 
side!  Don't  you  think  she  was  proud  of  Miriam  who  had 
helped  to  save  the  baby  for  his  home  and  his  country? 


LESSON  4 
THE  LOVING   FAMILY 


Hymn:  "  Happiness."    (Page  206) 

Prayers:  "  Help  our  hearts  to  love  Thee  "  and  "  May  we,  Thy 
children,  happy  be." 

For  the  Nature  Talk :  A  spray  of  maple  leaves. 
Memory  Work:   (Review  of  the  month's  work). 
Handwork:  Color  initials  in  printed  prayer. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

REFER  to  some  maple  tree  that  the  children  may  see, 
—  to  its  beauty  of  shape  and  of  color.  Children  may 
play  in  its  shade,  have  a  swing  from  its  branches,  a  seat 
about  its  trunk.  A  tree  is  our  good  friend. 

The  story  today  is  about  some  children  who  had  trees 
in  then'  yard,  and  about  a  little  cousin  who  came  a  long 
distance  to  visit  them.  Who  has  ridden  alone  on  a  train? 
Who  takes  care  of  little  people  who  are  travelling  alone? 
Ask  how  we  sometimes  feel  among  strangers;  if  it  makes 
any  difference  to  us  if  they  are  kind  or  not;  what  children 
call  something  they  know  but  "will  not  tell."  The  story 
is  about  a  secret. 

Have  the  children  color  the  house  red  and  the  tree  green 
if  they  can  do  so  without  destroying  the  charm  of  the 
picture  which  tells  the  story  as  it  is. 


40 


THE  LOVING  FAMILY 

BY  ROSE  BROOKS 

ALLAN  MARTIN'S  mother  had  been  so  ill  that  she 
would  need  a  whole  long  summer  to  rest,  the  doctor 
said.  So  one  day,  Allan's  father  took  him  to  the  station 
and  put  him,  in  the  conductor's  care,  on  a  train  to  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  was  going  to  spend  the  whole  sum- 
mer with  Aunt  Margaret. 

"Now  be  a  man,  and  just  sit  still  hi  this  seat  till  the 
conductor  tells  you  to  get  off.  Mother  thought  you  couldn't 
go  alone,  but  I  knew  you  could.  You'll  be  there  in  two 
hours,  and  Aunt  Margaret  will  meet  you  at  the  station. 
Be  a  good  boy,  and  that  will  help  Mother  to  get  well." 

Allan  felt  pretty  lonesome  when  Father  had  gone,  but 
as  soon  as  the  train  started  he  felt  very  happy  to  be  travel- 
ing alone,  just  like  a  grown-up.  He  didn't  feel  very  happy, 
though,  about  going  to  Aunt  Margaret's,  even  though 
Father  said  it  would  be  the  best  thing  that  ever  happened 
to  him.  How  could  it  be  the  best  thing,  he  wondered 
gloomily.  It  was  certainly  hard,  sometimes,  to  know 
what  Father  meant.  Of  course,  there  would  be  the  four 
cousins  to  play  with,  but  he  hadn't  seen  them  for  a  long 
time,  so  long  that  he  couldn't  remember  them,  and 
how  did  he  know  that  he  would  like  them?  And  hadn't 
he  heard  Mother  say  often,  "Poor  Aunt  Margaret!  Think 
of  those  four  lively  children,  and  not  a  person  to  help  her!" 

Allan  couldn't  quite  imagine  a  house  without  servants. 
Who  did  everything?  And  what  sort  of  things  would  he 
get  to  eat? 

41 


42       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

It  didn't  seem  long  before  the  conductor  came  to  help 
him  off,  and  just  the  second  he  jumped  off  the  last  step  a 
pretty  lady  ran  up  and  kissed  him  hard,  as  if  she  was  very 
glad  he  had  come.  Allan  looked  at  her,  puzzled.  You  see, 
he  didn't  remember  Aunt  Margaret  because  he  hadn't 
seen  her  since  he  was  a  baby,  and  this  pretty  lady,  all  in 
white  summery  clothes,  didn't  look  like  anybody's  "poor 
Aunt  Margaret." 

"Are  you  Aunt  Margaret?"  he  ventured  timidly,  when 
he  and  the  pretty  lady,  whom  he  had  begun  to  like  very 
much  even  hi  a  few  minutes,  were  settled  in  the  little  old 
buggy,  driving  the  fat,  brown  horse  up  the  steep,  shady 
road  that  led  out  of  the  white  village. 

"Why,  of  course,  dear!  Didn't  you  know?"  laughed 
Aunt  Margaret.  "Wasn't  I  stupid!  I  was  sure  you  were 
you,  and  I  never  thought  that  maybe  you  wouldn't  know 
me!  Will  you  drive,  please?"  she  added,  giving  the  reins 
into  Allan's  hands.  "When  I  have  a  big  man  or  a  little 
man  with  me,  I  like  to  be  driven." 

Allan  liked  to  drive,  —  don't  you?  And  by  the  tune  he 
and  Aunt  Margaret  and  the  fat,  brown  horse  drew  up  in 
front  of  the  little,  shady,  red  farmhouse  where  Aunt  Mar- 
garet and  the  four  cousins  came  to  spend  every  summer, 
he  felt  that  the  summer  might  not  be  so  bad  after  all. 

Uncle  Dick,  who  came  up  from  the  city  for  every  week 
end,  was  waiting  for  them  under  the  big  maple  tree  and 
lifted  Allan  out,  telling  him  cheerily  how  glad  they  all 
were  to  see  him.  And  Allan  knew  he  really  was  glad,  just 
as  he  had  known  at  the  train  that  Aunt  Margaret  was  glad. 
The  four  cousins  were  a  little  bit  shy  at  first,  but  they  all 
came  and  shook  hands  and  helped  carry  hi  his  bags. 

"Come  into  the  kitchen,  dear,  and  see  all  the  good  things 
these  good  children  of  mine  have  got  ready  for  us  to  eat, 
while  I  went  off  to  meet  you,"  Aunt  Margaret  called  gayly. 


THE  LOVING  FAMILY  43 

Allan  followed  her  through  the  low,  cool  living-room  into 
the  quaint,  sunshiny  kitchen.  On  one  end  of  a  big  white 
table  were  three  loaves  of  bread,  all  crusty  brown,  —  and 
what  did  Aunt  Margaret  do  but  cut  off  the  end  piece  and 
give  it  to  him,  with  butter  and  cinnamon  sugar  on  it! 

"You  see,"  explained  Aunt  Margaret,  "I  left  it  hi  the 
oven,  and  the  boys  kept  the  fire  going,  and  took  it  out 
when  it  was  done.  And  see,  they've  picked  and  shelled 
peas  for  us,  and  washed  potatoes  ready  to  bake,  —  and  I 
wonder  what  is  in  this  pail,  so  carefully  covered?"  She 
peeped  under  the  napkin,  and  then  cried  delightedly,  "Oh, 
you  dear,  good  children!  What  a  fine  surprise  you  did  get 
for  us!"  Smiling  faces  were  peeking  in  the  kitchen  door, 
and  Aunt  Margaret  rushed  across  the  room  and  gave  each 
face  a  kiss. 

"You'll  have  to  give  Father  a  kiss  too,"  piped  little 
Ruth,  "'cause  he  found  the  patch,  and  picked  most  of 
anybody." 

Allan  peeped  into  the  pail,  too,  and  saw  the  biggest, 
juiciest  wild  strawberries!  Did  anything  ever  smell  so 
spicy  good?  Didn't  his  mouth  water!  And  Aunt  Margaret 
was  saying  excitedly, 

"We'll  have  our  first  shortcake,  and  there's  cream  enough 
to  whip!" 

Allan  scampered  upstairs  to  his  clean  little  room,  a 
much  happier  little  boy  than  he  had  been  for  a  long  tune. 
He  began  to  feel  very  glad  that  he  had  come,  and  wondered 
why  everything  felt  so  good  hi  this  little  house.  Could 
it  be  just  that  Aunt  Margaret  was  so  pretty?  No,  he 
knew  many  other  pretty  ladies,  but  he  hadn't  ever  felt 
so  happy,  right  away,  hi  their  houses.  Well,  he  must 
hurry  and  change  his  clothes  and  get  back  downstairs. 

On  the  porch  he  found  the  four  cousins  busily  setting 
the  table,  while  Uncle  Dick  read  hi  the  hammock  and 


44       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Aunt  Margaret  sang  happy  little  songs  in  the  kitchen. 
Even  little  Ruth,  who  was  only  four,  was  trotting  around 
putting  spoons  at  each  place,  and,  to  his  own  surprise, 
Allan  began  to  wish  he  could  help  too. 

"Isn't  there  anything  I  can  put  on?"  he  asked. 

"Of  course!  Here,  you  put  around  the  tumblers,  and 
then  come  with  me  and  get  the  water,"  said  Malcom,  who 
was  almost  seven,  just  Allan's  own  age.  And  off  they 
went  to  the  pump  hi  the  woodshed,  and  Malcom  explained 
proudly, 

"You  must  pump  about  twenty-seven  tunes  before  it's 
cold  enough.  Mother  likes  it  cold." 

Such  a  dinner!  Allan  felt  ashamed  when  he  remem- 
bered that  he  had  wondered  whether  he  would  have  enough 
to  eat. 

After  they  had  finished  every  scrap  of  shortcake,  Allan 
felt  as  if  he  had  never  known  before  how  good  things  could 
taste.  When  they  finally  rose  from  the  table,  Allan  started 
to  saunter  off  to  the  big  shady  trees,  but  he  suddenly  real- 
ized the  others  weren't  coming,  and  looking  back,  he  saw 
Uncle  Dick  and  all  four  cousins  flying  around  clearing  the 
table,  while  Aunt  Margaret  had  curled  herself  up  com- 
fortably hi  the  hammock  with  a  book.  And  the  funny 
part  was  that  Allan  hurried  back,  hoping  they  hadn't 
noticed  that  he  had  started  off,  and  began  to  help  too.  He 
was  a  little  bit  clumsy,  but  he  felt  happy  all  over  when 
Aunt  Margaret  smiled  at  him  and  said,  "Helping  too? 
What  a  kind  boy!" 

All  that  day,  and  during  the  days  that  followed,  Allan 
had  many  surprises.  Aunt  Margaret  was  almost  always 
busy,  but  she  had  time  to  be  kind,  and  she  always  seemed 
to  expect,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  everybody  else  would 
be  kind.  Afternoons,  under  the  big  trees,  she  read  them 
such  wonderful  books,  —  all  about  the  things  they  saw 


THE  LOVING  FAMILY  45 

around  them  every  single  day.  No  fairy  stories  could  be 
half  so  wonderful  as  the  stories  she  read  them  of  the  birds 
and  trees  and  flowers  and  animals  and  all  the  fascinating 
insects.  And  the  queer  part  was,  Allan  thought  to  himself 
many  times,  that  Aunt  Margaret  never  nagged  the  boys, 
never  reminded  them  every  day  to  fill  the  wood-box  and 
sweep  the  porch,  and  do  all  the  other  things.  They  seemed 
to  want  to  do  everything  they  could,  to  save  her  just  as 
much  work  as  they  could.  "  Daily  duties,"  that  he  had 
always  heard  so  much  about,  turned  out  not  to  be  bug- 
bears after  all.  He  couldn't  make  it  out,  but  he  was  a 
very  happy  little  boy,  and  after  a  week  or  two  he  felt  very 
proud  when  Aunt  Margaret  said, 

"  You  can  set  the  table  just  as  well  as  my  boys  can!" 

How  they  all  looked  forward,  during  the  week,  to  Uncle 
Dick's  coming  on  Saturday,  and  how  many  things  they 
saved  to  show  him,  and  how  many  questions  they  all  re- 
membered to  ask  him!  Uncle  Dick  was  always  so  glad 
to  get  there!  And  Aunt  Margaret  seemed  happier  than 
ever  when  he  was  at  home. 

One  night,  when  Aunt  Margaret  was  tucking  him  in  his 
narrow,  clean  little  bed,  Allan's  arms  went  suddenly  around 
her  neck,  and  he  whispered  shyly, 

"I  like  to  live  with  you,  Aunt  Margaret."  Aunt  Mar- 
garet's eyes  looked  so  happy  and  pleased,  and  she  whis- 
pered back, 

"Do  you  really?    I'm  so  glad!    Why  do  you,  dear?" 

"Because  I  feel  happy,  inside,  all  the  time,"  confided 
Allan. 

"I'm  going  to  tell  you  why  you  are  happy,"  said  Aunt 
Margaret,  sitting  beside  him  on  the  bed  and  patting  one 
of  his  brown  little  hands,  gently. 

"It's  a  secret,  a  secret  that  Uncle  Dick  and  our  three 
boys  and  little  Ruth  and  I  have  found  out,  and  though 


46       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

you've  found  it  out,  too,  you  don't  know  quite  what  it  is. 
You  see,  Allan  dear,  we  all  of  us  in  this  family  really  love 
one  another,  and  we  like  to  be  happy  all  the  time.  And 
we've  found  out  —  and  we  call  it  our  Big  Secret  —  that 
when  each  one  does  things  just  to  make  himself  happy, 
we  are  all  unhappy,  but  just  as  soon  as  each  one  thinks  of 
the  others,  we're  all  as  happy  as,  —  well,  as  happy  as  the 
meadow  larks  that  sing  on  the  fence  posts  of  our  meadow. 
I  never  heard  anything  sound  happier  than  they  do,  did 
you?  You  felt,  when  you  first  came,  that  we  were  happy, 
—  do  you  remember?  And  now  you  know  every  bit  of  the 
secret  that  we  found  out.  The  secret  does  not  make  just 
this  one  little  family  happy,  it  will  make  every  family 
happy." 

"Will  I  be  happy  always,  if  I  learn  the  secret?"  asked 
Allan  in  a  grave  little  voice. 

"Yes,  dear,  you  are  learning  it  very  quickly,  and  you 
are  happy,  aren't  you?" 

But  even  Aunt  Margaret,  who  knew  so  many  surprising 
things  about  boys,  didn't  quite  know  what  a  happy  little 
boy  Allan  was  as  he  drowsed  off  to  sleep,  saying  softly  to 
himself, 

"It's  lots  easier  to  be  a  good  boy  when  people  just  expect 
you  to  be  good,  the  way  Aunt  Margaret  does." 


OCTOBER 

Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE   AND    SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE   IN    OTHER    HOMES 

When  on  the  breath  of  Autumn  breeze 

From  pastures  dry  and  brown 
Goes  floating,  like  an  idle  thought, 

The  fair,  white  thistle-down, 
Oh,  then  what  joy  to  walk  at  will 

Upon  that  golden  harvest  hill. 

Mary  Howitt 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

THE  four  lessons  for  the  month  emphasize  how  love  is 
shown  by  animals.  The  bird-parents'  love  for  their 
young;  the  love  of  the  dog  for  the  friendless  kittens;  the 
care  of  the  birds  for  their  unfortunate  comrade;  the  peril 
risked  by  the  brave  mother-cat  to  save  her  young  are  all 
illustrations  of  love  in  other  homes.  The  lesson-subject 
furnishes  excellent  opportunity  for  the  teacher  to  illustrate 
further,  by  citing  instances  which  she  has  personally  known. 
The  quiet  music  for  the  month  may  be  "Consolation" 
from  Mendelssohn's  Songs  Without  Words,  or  "Berlin" 
(New  Hymn  and  Tune  Book,  No.  271). 


47 


LESSON  5 
OUT   OF  THE   NEST 


Hymn:  "  O  Little  Birds.    (Page  207) 
Prayers:    (Those  given  for  Lessons  1  and  2). 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  bird's  nest. 
Memory  Verse:   He  guides  me  and  the  bird. 

Handwork:  Model  a  nest  with  plasticine. 
Color  text. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

BRING  a  bird's  nest  to  show  the  beauty  of  the  shape 
and  the  soft  lining.  Notice  how  it  is  made,  and  point 
out  the  fact  that  only  a  bird  can  make  such  a  home. 

Ask  where  birds  build  nests;  who  takes  care  of  the  eggs; 
how  birds  are  fed;  when  they  leave  the  nest;  what  any 
one  in  class  would  do  if  he  should  find  a  young  bird  that 
could  not  fly. 

If  a  nest  is  modelled,  make  it  rather  small,  rolling  a  ball 
between  the  palms  and  then  making  the  hollow  with  thumb 
and  fingers. 


48 


OUT  OF  THE  NEST 

BY  MAUD  LINDSAY,  in  Mother  Stories1 

ONCE  upon  a  time  a  mother-bird  and  a  father-bird 
built  a  nest  in  a  tree. 

It  was  made  of  straw  and  leaves  and  all  sorts  of  wonder- 
ful things,  and  it  even  had  lace  trimmings  on  it. 

Soon  after  the  nest  was  finished  the  mother-bird  put 
two  eggs  in  it,  and  then  she  and  father-bird  thought  of 
nothing  but  keeping  those  eggs  safe  and  warm. 

Mother-bird  sat  upon  them  day  and  night;  and  even 
when  father-bird  would  say,  "You  really  must  fly  about 
a  little  and  let  me  take  care  of  the  eggs,"  she  did  not  like 
to  leave  them. 

After  a  while  two  little  birds  came  out  of  the  shells, 
which  was  just  what  she  had  been  hoping  for  all  the  long 
time.  The  baby-birds  were  both  so  weak  and  small  that 
they  could  do  nothing  at  all  for  themselves  but  open  their 
.mouths  very  wide  and  call,  "Peep,  peep!  Mother  dear, 
peep!"  Mother-bird  and  father-bird  were  busy  all  day 
getting  them  something  to  eat. 

By  and  by  they  began  to  grow;  and  then  they  had  soft 
feather  clothes  to  wear,  which  are  the  best  clothes  in  the 
world  for  baby-birds. 

Mother-bird  said  to  them  one  day,  "You  are  almost 
ready  to  learn  to  fly;"  and  then  they  felt  very  large. 

That  same  day  mother-bird  and  father-bird  flew  away 
together  to  get  something  for  dinner;  and  while  they 
were  gone,  the  little  birds  heard  a  very  queer  noise  which 

1  By  special  arrangement  with  the  author,  and  courtesy  of  Milton 
Bradley  Co.,  publishers. 

49 


50   THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

seemed  to  come  from  a  pond  near  their  tree.    This  is  the 
way  it  sounded:    "Kerchunk!    Kerchunk!" 

"Oh!  what  can  it  be?"  said  the  sister-bird. 

"I'll  peep  over  the  side  of  the  nest  and  see,"  said  her 
brother. 

But  when  he  put  his  head  out  he  could  see  nothing, 
although  he  heard  the  sound  very  plainly:  "Kerchunk! 
Kerchunk!"  Then  he  leaned  out  a  little  farther  and  a 
little  farther,  till  his  head  was  dizzy. 

"Peep,  peep!  You'll  fall!"  cried  the  sister-bird;  and, 
sure  enough,  she  had  scarcely  said  it  before  he  tumbled 
out  of  the  nest,  down,  down,  to  the  ground. 

He  was  not  hurt,  but  oh,  how  frightened  he  was!  "Peep, 
peep!  Mother  dear,  peep!"  he  cried. 

"Peep!"  cried  the  sister-bird  up  in  the  nest;  but  the 
mother  and  father  were  too  far  away  to  hear  then*  calls. 

The  brother-bird  hopped  about  on  the  ground  and  looked 
around  him.  He  was  near  the  pond  now,  and  the  sound 
was  very  loud:  "Kerchunk!  Kerchunk!  Kerchunk!" 

"Peep,  peep,  peep!"  called  the  birdie;  and  hi  a  moment 
up  hopped  a  big  frog. 

This  was  an  old  school-teacher  frog,  and  he  had  been 
teaching  all  the  little  frogs  to  sing. 

He  hopped  right  up  to  the  brother-bird.  "Kerchunk! 
Kerchunk!"  said  he.  "How  can  I  teach  my  frogs  to  sing 
when  you  are  making  such  a  noise?" 

"Peep,  peep!    I  want  my  mama,"  said  the  baby-bird. 

Then  the  big  frog  saw  how  young  the  birdie  was,  and 
he  was  sorry  for  him. 

"Come  with  me,"  he  said,  "and  I  will  teach  you  to  sing." 

But  the  baby-bird  only  cried  louder  than  ever  at  this, 
and  a  mother-dove,  who  was  singing  her  babies  to  sleep 
in  a  neighboring  tree,  flew  down  to  see  what  could  be  the 
matter. 


OUT  OF  THE  NEST  51 

"I  can't  begin  to  get  my  children  to  sleep  in  all  this 
fuss,"  she  said  to  the  frog;  but  when  she  saw  the  little 
bird,  she  was  just  as  sorry  as  the  frog  had  been. 

"Poor,  dear  baby,"  she  cried;  "I  will  fly  right  off  and 
find  your  mama  for  you."  So  she  told  her  children  to  be 
good  and  quiet,  and  then  away  she  flew. 

Before  long  she  met  the  father  and  mother,  and  they 
all  flew  back  in  a  great  hurry. 

Then  they  tried  to  get  the  baby-bird  into  the  nest  again. 

"He's  entirely  too  young  to  be  out  of  the  nest,"  cried 
his  mother,  "and  he  must  get  hi  again  at  once." 

"Spread  your  wings  and  fly  as  I  do,"  said  the  father-bird. 

So  the  baby-bird  spread  his  wings  and  tried  to  fly;  but 
try  as  he  would,  he  could  not  reach  the  nest  in  the  tree. 

"Put  him  into  my  school  and  I  will  teach  him  to  swim," 
said  the  frog;  "that  is  better  than  flying,  and  a  great  deal 
easier  to  learn,  I  am  sure." 

This  was  so  land  in  the  frog  that  the  mother-bird  thanked 
him;  but  she  said  that  she  had  to  be  very  careful  with  her 
children  and  that  she  was  afraid  the  water  might  give  the 
little  bird  a  cold. 

While  they  were  talking,  they  heard  somebody  coming 
along,  whistling  the  j  oiliest  tune. 

"Dear  me!  Dear  me!"  cried  the  bird.  "There  comes 
a  boy!" 

"He's  apt  to  have  stones  in  his  pocket,"  said  the  frog. 

"He  will  carry  my  darling  off  and  put  him  in  a  cage! 
Oh,  fly!  fly!"  begged  the  mother-bird.  But  before  the 
baby-bird  even  had  time  to  say  "peep!"  the  boy  came  in 
sight. 

Then  the  father-bird  flew  over  the  boy's  head  and  the 
mother-bird  down  in  front  of  him.  The  frog  croaked  and 
the  dove  cooed,  but  none  of  them  could  hide  the  little  bird 
from  him. 


52   THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"If  you  hurt  him  I'll  peck  your  eyes  out!"  cried  the  poor 
mother,  who  hardly  knew  what  she  was  saying;  but  the 
boy  picked  the  little  bird  up,  just  as  if  he  did  not  hear  her. 

"Oh!  what  shall  I  do?"  cried  the  mother-bird. 

Then  the  boy  looked  at  her  and  at  the  baby-bird  and 
up  in  the  tree  where  the  nest  was. 

"Coo,  coo,  coo!  I  think  I  know  what  he's  going  to  do," 
said  the  dove. 

"There's  no  telling,"  croaked  the  frog;  and  they  all 
watched  and  wondered  while  the  boy  put  the  bird  in  his 
pocket  and  began  to  climb  the  tree. 

He  swung  himself  from  branch  to  branch,  climbing  higher 
all  the  tune,  until  at  last  he  reached  the  pretty  nest  where 
the  sister-bird  waited  for  her  mama  to  come  home. 

Mother-bird  and  father-bird  flew  to  the  top  of  the  tree 
to  watch  the  boy. 

"Suppose  he  should  take  her,  too,"  said  the  mother-bird. 
But  what  do  you  think  he  did?  —  Yes,  indeed!  He  put 
the  brother-bird  back  in  the  nest,  as  well  as  the  mother- 
bird  could  have  done  it  herself. 

"Thank  you!  Thank  you!"  sang  the  mother  and  father 
as  the  boy  scrambled  down  again. 

"Peep,  peep!  Thank  you!"  called  the  little  birds  from 
the  nest. 

"Coo,  coo!    I  knew,"  cried  the  dove. 

"Kerchunk!  Kerchunk!  I  should  like  to  have  him  in 
my  school,"  said  the  frog  as  he  hopped  away  to  his  pond. 

And  that  is  the  end  of  my  story. 


LESSON  6 
A  BRAVE  MOTHER 


Hymn:  "A  Prayer."    (Page  208) 

Prayer:  The  words  of  the  hymn: 

"  Make  us  brave,  without  a  fear; 
Make  us  happy,  full  of  cheer; 
Sure  that  Thou  art  always  near, — 
Hear  us,  O  our  Father." 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Autumn  leaves. 

Memory  Verses:    (The  hymn,  and  the  verse  for  the  month.) 

Handwork:   Trace  outline  of  maple  leaf,  and  color. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

CALL  attention  to  the  beautiful  color,  the  smooth  sur- 
faces and  the  form  of  the  leaves.  Show  how  to  hold 
the  leaf  flat  while  carefully  tracing  its  outline.  Suggest 
further  leaf-tracing  for  home  work. 

Lead  up  to  the  story  by  asking  what  is  done  to  put  out 
a  fire  when  a  house  is  burning;  what  tells  us  that  there 
is  a  fire;  by  whom  people  are  taken  from  a  burning  house. 
Speak  of  the  great  fear  of  fire  that  animals  have,  and  how 
easily  pets  may  be  overlooked  when  houses  are  burning 
and  people  are  rescued. 

Talk  about  the  happiness  and  contentment  of  the  kittens 
in  the  picture.  Use  time  gained  by  this  short  story  for 
reviews. 

53 


A  BRAVE  MOTHER 

CLANG!    clang!  went  the  fire  bells,  and  almost  imme- 
diately the  fire  engine  came  tearing  down  the  street, 
warning  everybody  to  get  out  of  the  way,  and  saying  as 
plainly  as  an  engine  could,  "I  am  hi  a  great  hurry!    There 
are  lives  to  save!" 

The  crowd  immediately  came  together  about  the  burn- 
ing house.  The  smoke  and  flames  almost  hid  it  from  sight, 
but  those  who  could  get  near  soon  found  that  all  the  people 
in  the  family  were  safe,  and  so  they  were  less  anxious,  and 
stood  watching  the  sparks  shoot  high  into  the  air  and 
listening  to  the  roaring  of  the  fire. 

But  what  is  this  darting  about  hi  the  smoke?  A  living 
thing?  —  a  person?  A  very  living  thing  surely,  but  not  a 
person,  for  no  human  being  could  go  where  this  creature 
was  going.  In  the  midst  of  all  the  smoke  and  flames  a 
frightened  mother  was  running  hi  and  out  of  the  burning 
house,  —  not  to  save  her  own  life,  but  to  save  the  lives  of 
her  dear  little  ones. 

She  brought  one  in  her  mouth  and  laid  it  at  her  master's 
feet,  as  if  begging  him  to  take  care  of  it  while  she  fetched 
the  rest.  Then  she  went  to  get  another.  Three  tunes 
the  brave  little  creature  went  where  no  man  would  ven- 
ture, that  she  might  save  her  children's  lives,  and  each 
tune  she  looked  up  into  her  master's  face  as  if  to  say,  "This 
is  not  all." 

The  people  who  stood  by  tried  to  prevent  her  from 
plunging  again  into  the  burning  mass,  but  she  could  not 
forget  that  her  fourth  baby  was  still  left  behind,  and  she 
struggled  out  of  the  hands  of  those  who  held  her. 

54 


A  BRAVE  MOTHER  55 

Again  she  ran  among  the  embers,  but  hi  another  instant 
the  mother  cat  —  for  a  cat  it  was  —  returned  almost  ex- 
hausted, bringing  the  remaining  kitten.  Not  a  moment  too 
soon  she  came,  for  a  big  beam  fell  with  great  force  on  the 
threshold  she  had  just  crossed.  But  the  frightened  mother, 
singed  and  wild-eyed,  had  saved  her  little  ones,  and  no 
more  contented  family  could  be  found  anywhere  than  this 
happy  mother  and  the  frisky  kittens  that  came  through 
the  fire,  saved  by  the  mother's  love. 


LESSON  7 

HOW  THE  BIRDS  HELPED  THISTLE 
GOLDFINCH 


Hymn:    (Review.     "O  Little  Birds,"  page  207,  is  especially 
suitable  with  this  lesson.) 

Prayer:  We  thank  Thee  for  our  home  and  friends, 

For  day  and  night,  for  sky  and  sea; 
But  most  of  all  for  Thy  great  love 
We  give,  dear  Father,  thanks  to  Thee. 

Amen. 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  Thistles. 

Memory  Verses:  (The  verse  for  the  month. 
The  words  of  the  prayer.) 

Handwork:  Fill  hi  outline,  and  color  the  bird. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

REFER  to  milk-weed  seeds  and  silky  filaments.  The 
thistle  seeds  also  fly  about.  Notice  the  beautiful 
purple  or  pinkish  color.  Ask  what  creatures  feed  on  seeds; 
how  a  bird  could  get  at  the  seeds  of  the  thistle.  Tell  the 
children  of  the  particular  bird  that  likes  the  thistle  seeds, 
and  his  name.  (Thistle  goldfinch  alights  on  the  thistle 
and  gets  the  seeds  by  burying  his  bill  deep  down  in  the 
flower.) 

Ask  what  birds  do  when  cold  weather  is  coming;  if  all 
go  south;  where  those  stay  who  do  not  go  to  a  warmer 
place;  what  trees  in  the  woods  make  warm  shelter  for  the 
birds  that  stay. 

It  will  add  to  the  interest  of  this  story  if  the  teacher  will 
sketch  the  outline  of  a  thistle  on  separate  sheets  for  the 

children  to  color  at  home. 

56 


HOW  THE  BIRDS  HELPED  THISTLE 
GOLDFINCH 

IT  was  winter,  and  the  ground  was  white  with  snow  even 
under  the  tall,  dark  pines  in  the  great  woods  behind  the 
farmhouse  where  little  Barbara  lived. 

But  the  birds  were  glad,  for  their  feather  coats  were 
warm,  and  they  sang  all  the  sweeter  as  they  flew  from 
tree  to  tree.  What  cared  they  for  the  snow?  Were  not 
the  meadows  full  of  seeds?  So  the  Robin  still  sang  his 
cheery  trill,  and  the  downy  Woodpecker  hammered  "Rap- 
atap-atap!  rap-atap-atap!"  until  the  woodside  rang  with 
then*  music. 

"Chickadee-dee-dee-dee!  chickadee-dee-dee-dee!"  Down 
flew  Mrs.  Chickadee  to  a  wide  spreading  branch  of  a  great 
pine  tree.  " Chickadee-dee-dee,  do  listen  to  me!"  and  all 
the  birds  came  flying  down  to  the  branch  on  which  she  was 
resting.  "What  can  it  be?"  said  the  downy  Woodpecker. 
"Is  it  a  party?"  —  "And  you  want  us  all  to  come!"  chirped 
the  Robin. 

"Just  listen  to  my  story,"  said  Mrs.  Chickadee,  "for  I 
shall  want  all  of  you  to  help;  even  little  Snow  Bunting, 
who  is  only  a  visitor,  will  find  something  to  do  when  he 
hears  my  plan.  Yesterday,  as  I  was  flying  through  the 
woods  pecking  at  the  mosses  and  dead  twigs,  I  heard  a 
sad  little  voice  singing,  "Dear-ie  me!  dear-ie  me!"  and 
there  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  branch  was  a  fluffy  yellow  ball. 
I  hopped  very  near  it  to  see  what  it  could  be,  and  found 
that  it  was  dear  little  Thistle  Goldfinch,  who  used  to  fly 
around  hi  the  fields  and  sing  so  sweetly  last  summer  and  all 

57 


58       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

through  the  fall.  He  was  so  glad  to  see  me,  for  he  had 
been  all  alone  for  many  days  and  was  cold  and  hungry. 

"When  Jack  Frost  ran  through  trees  in  the  fall,  Father 
and  Mother  Goldfinch  had  called  all  the  little  brothers 
and  sisters  together  to  make  ready  for  the  journey  to  the 
south,  but  Thistle  begged  so  hard  to  stay  that  finally  they 
all  went  away  and  left  him.  He  was  very  happy  for  a 
while,  for  the  days  were  warm  and  sunny,  but  soon  it  grew 
cold,  and  one  gray  morning  Thistle  woke  up  to  find  the 
air  full  of  snow-flakes  which  soon  covered  the  seeds  and 
grass  and  left  no  food  within  his  reach.  So  he  was  almost 
starved,  and  if  he  cannot  find  a  warm  place  to  sleep  in, 
he  will  surely  die."  Mrs.  Chickadee  paused  a  minute.  The 
birds  were  so  still  one  could  hear  the  pine  trees  whisper. 
Then  she  said,  "I  helped  him  to  find  some  seeds  hi  a  shel- 
tered place  under  a  shrub,  and  promising  to  come  again,  I 
flew  away  home." 

"All  night  I  have  thought  about  him,  trying  to  find  a 
way  to  help  him  through  the  winter,  and  this  is  my  plan. 
We  Chickadees  have  a  nice  warm  home  in  the  spruce  trees; 
there  is  plenty  of  room  for  one  more,  so  Thistle  could  sleep 
here  all  winter.  We  would  let  him  perch  on  a  branch  and 
then  we  could  nestle  close  to  him  and  keep  him  warm." 
Before  she  could  say  more,  the  Robin  said,  "We'll  share 
our  seeds  which  are  stored  in  the  pine  cones."  And  the 
downy  Woodpecker  promised  to  rap  all  the  harder  on  the 
tree  trunks  and  to  let  the  birds  know  whenever  he  found 
a  supply  of  seeds. 

"Let's  begin  right  away,"  said  the  Woodpecker;  "who'll 
go  and  find  Thistle?" 

"I  will,"  chirped  the  Robin,  and  spreading  his  wings, 
away  he  flew  to  the  place  of  which  Mrs.  Chickadee  had 
told,  at  the  other  side  of  the  wood.  There  he  found  Thistle 
Goldfinch  singing  such  a  shivery  little  song.  "Cheerup, 


HOW  THE  BIRDS  HELPED  THISTLE  GOLDFINCH    59 

chee-chee!"  sang  the  Robin.  Then  he  told  Thistle  all  their 
plans,  and  wasn't  it  a  happy  little  bird  that  flew  back  to 
the  Chickadee's  home  with  Robin  Redbreast! 

The  next  morning  while  Thistle  was  trying  to  remember 
the  happy  song  of  summer,  there  was  a  little  whirr  of  wings 
and  down  flew  Snow  Bunting.  The  song  he  sang  was  a 
song  of  joy.  "Can  you  fly  a  little  way?"  sang  he.  "The 
best  surprise  of  all  is  waiting  for  us  at  the  farmhouse  over 
the  hill."  So  Thistle,  and  all  the  birds  who  had  been  kind 
to  him,  spread  their  wings  and  followed  Snow  Bunting  who 
flew  over  the  trees  and  straight  to  the  door  of  the  farmhouse. 

There  stood  little  Barbara  in  a  warm  coat  and  hat  with 
a  dish  of  seeds  and  crumbs.  Such  a  good  dinner  those 
birds  did  have!  and  such  a  song  of  thanks  they  sang  as 
they  finished  eating! 

"Come  again,"  said  the  little  girl;  "come  every  day 
and  I  will  give  you  some  crumbs."  "Thank  you,"  sang 
the  Robin.  "Thank  you,  thank  you,"  chirped  Snow  Bunt- 
ing. "How  kind  you  are!"  sang  the  Chickadees.  And 
Thistle  Goldfinch? 

Yes,  he  remembered  his  summer  song;  he  sang  the 
sweetest  song  which  ever  was  heard,  for  his  was  a  song  of 
thanks  to  God  who  loves  and  cares  for  every  living  creature, 
even  for  the  tiniest  little  bird. 

Retold  from  "The  Birds'  Christmas"  by 
F.  E.  MANN,  in  the  Child's  World. 
With  author's  permission. 


LESSON  8 
LASSIE'S  FAMILY 


Hymn:   "  The  Willing  Heart."    (Page  209) 
Prayers:    (Choose  from  those  already  learned.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk :  Rose  branch  with  hips. 
Memory  Verse :  For  are  we  not  God's  children  all  ? 
Handwork:   Color  border  and  initial  of  text. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  smooth,  bright,  beautiful  surface  of  the  rose 
hips.  These  are  the  homes  of  the  little  seeds  within. 
Recall  the  beauty  of  the  roses  that  the  hips  replace. 

The  hymn  suggested  with  this  lesson  may  be  used  to 
follow  the  taking  of  the  children's  offerings.  A  hymn 
already  learned  may  be  sung  for  the  opening. 

If  a  child's  clothing  is  caught  on  the  briars  of  a  rose  it  is 
hard  for  him  to  get  away.  Could  a  little  kitten  free  itself 
from  a  tangle  of  rose  briars?  Ask  who  in  the  class  has  a 
dog;  if  any  one  knows  the  name  of  a  dog's  home;  what 
a  dog  can  do  to  help.  Some  dogs  are  very  kind  to  other 
animals  and  to  people.  The  story  is  about  such  a  dog. 


60 


LASSIE'S  FAMILY 

LASSIE  was  a  big  collie  dog  who  was  a  pet  of  every  one 
in  the  family.  She  stayed  in  her  kennel  at  night;  but 
in  the  daytime  she  would  go  to  school  with  the  children, 
or  sleep  on  the  piazza,  or  watch  beside  baby's  carriage. 
In  every  way  she  showed  her  friendliness.  She  would  even 
sniff  kindly  at  puss  who  sometimes  came  to  share  a  meal. 

But  something  happened  one  day  that  made  a  difference 
to  Lassie,  and  this  was  what  occurred. 

Constance,  Lassie's  mistress,  was  coming  up  the  hill 
toward  her  house  one  night,  when  she  heard  a  faint  little 
"mew,  mew"  from  the  side  of  the  road. 

She  stopped  and  listened,  and  again  came  the  feeble 
cry.  Stepping  carefully  to  the  bushes  she  drew  them  aside 
and  there,  entangled  by  briars,  were  two  pitiful-looking 
little  yellow  kittens  trying  to  free  themselves. 

Constance  set  down  her  basket  and,  parting  the  bushes 
and  briars  with  her  hands,  she  lifted  out  the  poor  little 
frightened  creatures.  At  first  they  struggled  to  get  away 
and  then  they  hid  their  scared  faces  under  Constance's 
arm.  Constance  patted  them  and  then  gently  placed  them 
in  her  basket. 

Just  then  Lassie  came  bounding  down  the  hill  expecting 
to  take  the  basket  in  her  mouth  and  carry  it  home,  but 
Constance  said,  "Lassie,  I  have  something  in  my  basket 
for  you."  Then  she  slowly  showed  the  kittens.  "You 
must  be  very  kind  to  them  and  keep  them  warm  and  safe 
and  let  them  live  with  you."  Lassie  eyed  them  a  minute 
as  though  she  didn't  quite  like  the  looks  of  such  bedraggled 
animals.  Then  she  gave  a  little  bark  which  seemed  to 

61 


62       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

say,  "I  understand  what  you  want  me  to  do,  little  mis- 
tress. There  is  plenty  of  room  in  my  house  for  these  feeble 
kittens.  Bring  them  along." 

So  Constance  carried  the  kittens  to  Lassie's  home,  first 
getting  a  saucer  of  milk,  and  after  stroking  Lassie  and  pat- 
ting the  kittens,  she  made  the  friendly  dog  know  his  new 
care.  Then  she  left  them. 

In  the  morning  when  Lassie  did  not  appear,  Constance 
went  to  the  kennel.  There,  curled  up  on  the  dog's  back, 
were  the  little  kittens,  warm  and  comfortable.  Lassie 
stretched  a  little,  and,  looking  up  to  her  mistress,  seemed 
to  say,  "I  can't  disturb  these  babies  yet  to  get  my  break- 
fast. When  they  awaken  we  will  eat  together." 

And  so  it  was  that  they  ate  together  and  lived  together, 
the  kittens  always  sleeping  in  the  soft  hah*  on  the  back  of 
then-  new  mother.  The  little  kittens  had  found  a  good 
home,  and  Lassie  through  her  kind  friendliness  had  found 
a  happy  family. 


NOVEMBER 


Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE  AND   SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE  IN   GRATITUDE 

Talk  not  of  sad  November,  when  a  day 
Of  warm,  glad  sunshine  fills  the  sky  of  noon, 
And  a  wind  borrowed  from  some  morn  of  June 

Stirs  the  brown  grasses  and  the  leafless  spray. 

/.  G.  Whittier 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

THE  purpose  of  these  lessons  is  to  show  how  gratitude 
grows  from  kindness;  how  a  stranger  in  our  land 
learned  our  custom  of  celebrating  Thanksgiving  Day; 
how  animals  express  their  satisfaction  and  thanks;  how 
food  and  shelter  provided  for  even  a  bird  brings  a  song  of 
thanksgiving;  how  the  original  Thanksgiving  came  to  be, 
and  over  and  above  all  how  the  great,  good  and  bountiful 
Giver  of  all  is  the  one  to  whom  we  give  thanks. 

For  the  quiet  music:  "Yea,  the  Darkness  Hideth  not" 
by  Mendelssohn.  It  may  be  found  in  convenient  form  in 
A  Disciples  Service.1 

1  The  Beacon  Press,  25  Beacon  St.,  Boston.    Price  5  cents. 


63 


LESSON  9 
WHEN  PIETRO   GAVE   THANKS 


Hymn:    "  All  things  come  from  Thee,  O  Lord"    (Page  210) 

Prayers:    (Repeat  those  already  learned,  especially  the  prayer 
of  thanks,  Lesson  7.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk :  Twig  of  nut  tree  with  burr. 

Memory  Verse:  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  He  is  good. 

Handwork:   Color  the  basket  of  fruit. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  prickly  outside  and  let  the  children  feel  the 
smooth,  beautiful  inside  of  the  burr,  and  the  surface 
of  the  nut.  If  a  bit  of  olive  wood,  or  any  small  article 
made  from  it  can  be  procured,  the  beautiful  variegated 
color  of  the  wood  may  be  shown  and  interest  in  the  story 
increased. 

The  music  is  again  an  offertory  march  and  hymn,  which 
is  also  a  prayer  for  the  time  of  giving  thanks. 

Ask  if  any  know  what  a  grove  is;  why  children  like  to 
play  there;  if  they  know  that  the  names  of  little  children 
in  other  countries  are  different  from  our  names;  tell  the 
class  the  name  of  the  little  boy  in  the  story.  Speak  about 
the  difficulty  of  finding  one's  way  in  a  place  that  is  unfamiliar. 


64 


WHEN  PIETRO  GAVE  THANKS 

PIETRO  was  playing  in  the  shade  of  an  olive  grove  on 
a  mountain-side  away  over  in  Italy.    Just  below  him 
was  a  white  road,  and  far  below  the  road  the  blue  water 
danced  in  the  sunshine.    It  was  a  beautiful  spot  for  a  boy 
to  play. 

As  he  looked  down  the  road  he  saw  a  little  cloud  of  dust 
in  the  distance.  Soon  a  motor  car  moved  slowly  along  the 
road  until  it  came  to  a  stop.  The  driver  and  the  man  on 
the  seat  got  out,  looked  at  the  car  and  shook  then*  heads. 

Pietro  drew  nearer.  He  could  see  something  was  wrong, 
but  he  could  not  understand  the  strangers'  talk.  Suddenly 
one  of  the  men  turned  to  Pietro  and  asked  him  a  question 
hi  a  kindly  voice,  but  Pietro  could  only  shake  his  head. 

Then  the  man  laughed  and  patted  Pietro's  brown  curls. 
He  led  the  boy  to  the  side  of  the  car  and  pointed  to  a  tank 
beneath  the  seat  of  the  driver. 

This  time  Pietro  understood.  He  knew  that  the  tank 
contained  the  wonderful  fluid  that  made  the  car  go.  The 
car  could  go  no  farther  because  the  supply  of  wonderful 
fluid  was  used  up.  Pietro's  dark  eyes  shone  as  he  looked 
up  at  the  man;  then  hi  an  instant  more  he  was  flying  up 
the  long  slope  as  fast  as  his  bare  feet  could  carry  him. 

It  was  nearly  an  hour  before  Pietro  came  hurrying  back. 
With  him  was  a  workman  from  the  shop  in  the  village,  who 
bore  a  filled  can  in  either  hand. 

When  the  strangers  were  ready  to  start  again,  the  man 
slipped  some  bright  silver  coins  into  Pietro's  hand,  jumped 
in  the  car,  and  calling  out  gayly  to  him,  waved  his  hand 
and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

65 


66       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Then  Pietro  turned  up  through  the  olive  grove  to  his 
little  home,  where  the  bright  silver  coins  surprised  Pietro's 
parents  even  more  than  they  had  surprised  him. 

Pietro  thought  of  what  happened  that  bright  day  many 
tunes  during  the  months  that  followed.  A  year  later,  with 
his  parents  and  his  brothers  and  sisters,  he  went  over  the 
mountains  and  sailed  in  a  great  ship  across  the  ocean  to 
Boston.  He  had  almost  forgotten  his  long  run  over  the 
hot  road  to  help  the  strangers. 

When  Pietro  had  lived  hi  Boston  about  two  years,  late 
one  afternoon  in  November  he  was  walking  slowly  home 
from  school.  His  heart  was  heavy.  At  school  he  had  just 
been  learning  the  story  of  Thanksgiving  and  he  had  heard 
much  about  Thanksgiving  celebrations  (good  times);  but 
he  knew  there  would  be  none  for  him,  for  Pietro's  family 
was  large  and  money  was  scarce. 

Two  men  passed  him  and  one  said,  "How  this  part  of 
Boston  has  changed!  I  thought  I  could  take  you  straight 
to  the  Old  North  Church,  but  I  seem  to  be  getting  lost." 

Pietro  sprang  to  the  man's  side.  "I  know  the  way!" 
he  cried.  "Let  me  show  you!  I  can  tell  you  all  about  the 
church  where  Paul  Revere  hung  the  lanterns." 

"We  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  show  us,"  the  man 
said. 

So  Pietro  proudly  walked  before  them  and  led  the  way 
to  the  old  church.  All  the  time  the  man  was  watching  him 
curiously.  "I  think  you  and  I  have  met  before,"  he  said 
at  length.  "Do  you  remember  me?" 

For  the  first  tune  Pietro  looked  long  and  hard  at  the 
man's  face.  Then  he  cried  out,  "Yes,  yes!  I  did  not  see 
before.  You  are  the  man  who  was  in  the  car  that  stopped, 
over  in  Italy."  The  boy  danced  for  pleasure  because  the 
man  had  remembered  him  so  long.  "See,  I  can  talk  with 
you  now!  I  go  to  school!  I  am  an  American!" 


WHEN  PIETRO  GAVE  THANKS  67 

Then  the  man  asked  Pietro  questions  and  learned  all 
about  his  coming  across  the  ocean. 

"I  want  to  be  your  friend.  Keep  on  and  study,"  said 
the  man.  "Come  and  see  me  once  in  a  while.  I  will  help 
you  when  it  is  time  for  you  to  go  to  work,  and  I  can  find 
work  for  your  father.  Tell  him  so." 

He  gave  Pietro  his  address,  and  slipping  a  bill  into  the 
boy's  hand,  hurried  on. 

Again  Pietro  ran  home.  Not  through  an  olive  grove  this 
time,  but  through  a  narrow,  crowded  street. 

"See!  See!"  he  cried  as  he  waved  the  money  before 
the  astonished  eyes  of  his  parents.  "Thanksgiving! 
Thanksgiving  in  America  for  us  all." 

And  so  it  was  that  the  family's  good  fortune,  which 
began  with  Pietro's  friendly  help  to  a  stranger  hi  Italy, 
kept  on  in  Boston  because  of  the  same  friendly  help,  and 
they  had  a  real  Thanksgiving  after  all. 

Adapted  from  story  by  JOHN  CLAIK 
MINOT,  in  Youth's  Companion. 
Used  by  permission. 


LESSON  10 
LEARNING   HOW 


Hymn:  "Now  thank  we  all  our  God"  (page  211)  in  preparation 
for  the  Thanksgiving  service. 

Prayers:    (Opening  and  closing,  with  review.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  An  ear  of  corn. 

Memory  Verse:  Back  of  the  loaf  is  the  snowy  flour, 
And  back  of  the  flour  is  the  mill; 
And  back  of  the  mill  is  the  wheat  and  the 

shower 
And  the  sun,  —  and  the  Father's  will. 

Maltbie  D.  Babcock 

Handwork:  Color  the  vegetables. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  beauty  of  color  and  the  regularity  of  kernels 
in  the  corn.    Notice  the  soft  bed  in  which  each  seed 
is  placed. 

Ask  what  animals  are  fed  with  corn;  who  has  fed  them; 
who  has  seen  corn  growing.  Ask  about  the  holiday  that  is 
coming.  Speak  of  the  ways  of  keeping  it :  going  to  church, 
family  gatherings,  happy  times  with  gladness  and  thank- 
fulness. The  question:  "For  what  should  we  be  thankful 
and  to  whom?"  will  bring  interesting  answers. 


68 


LEARNING  HOW 

IT  was  the  Monday  before  Thanksgiving  Day  and  Tri- 
nette  was  playing  with  her  paper-dolls  by  the  window 
in  the  library.  Aunt  Natalie  and  Uncle  Dick,  who  were 
taking  tea  with  mother,  were  talking  about  Thanksgiving 
Day,  telling  where  they  were  going  and  whom  they  would 
see,  and  as  Trinette  listened  she  remembered  that  it  had 
been  the  same  last  year.  Last  year  was  a  long  time  ago, 
but  she  remembered  that  she  had  left  her  dolls  then  and 
run  over  to  Mother  to  ask  what  Thanksgiving  Day  was, 
and  why  people  gave  thanks.  And  Mother  had  told  her 
that  although  people  said  "thank-you"  for  every  gift  or 
kind  act,  sometimes  they  met  and  gave  thanks  to  God 
for  His  great  gifts  to  all  the  world,  and  that  was  the  day 
which  we  call  Thanksgiving  Day. 

"Does  every  one  give  thanks?"  Trinette  had  said. 

"Yes,"  said  Mother;  "fathers,  mothers  and  children  all 
over  the  state  say  'thank-you'  on  this  good  Thanksgiving 
Day." 

"But  I  don't  want  to  say  'thank-you/  I  don't  feel  'thank- 
you,'"  Trinette  had  said.  Uncle  Dick  and  Aunt  Natalie 
had  laughed,  but  Mother  had  drawn  her  little  daughter 
into  her  lap  and  had  said  softly,  '"Trinette  will  know  better 
and  feel  as  thankful  as  any  one  next  year,  when  she  is  six, 
won't  she,  dear?"  And  now  it  was  next  year;  and  Tri- 
nette was  six,  and  still  she  truly  didn't  feel  "thank-you" 
any  more  than  she  had  last  year.  What  should  she  do? 
Just  then  Father  came  in,  and  catching  Trinette  up  in  his 
arms,  went  over  to  the  table  near  Mother.  "Do  you  know 
any  little  girl  who  would  like  to  spend  Thanksgiving  Day 


70       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

with  Grandma  on  the  farm?"  said  he.  "Mother  and  I 
are  going  to  Lenox  to-morrow  and  could  leave  her  at 
Grandma's  on  the  way  and  call  for  her  when  we  came 
back." 

Trinette  clapped  her  hands,  for  she  knew  that  meant 
that  she  was  to  visit  Grandma  whom  she  loved  almost 
as  much  as  she  loved  her  father  and  mother. 

This  was  why,  on  that  Wednesday  evening,  after  help- 
ing Grandma  clear  away  supper  and  wipe  dishes,  Trinette, 
while  being  made  ready  for  bed  upstairs,  was  telling 
Grandma  all  about  it. 

"You  don't  say!"  exclaimed  Grandma,  deeply  interested. 
"They  couldn't  teach  you  how  to  feel  'thank-you'  in  kin- 
dergarten?" Trinette  shook  her  head. 

"Nor  in  dancing  class?"    Trinette  shook  it  again. 

"Nor  even  in  Sunday  school?  I  declare ! "  cried  Grandma, 
with  a  wondering  shake  of  her  head.  "Well,  then  you'll 
just  have  to  go  about  with  me  to-morrow  and  take  a  few 
lessons  from  the  farm  folk.  We'll  have  to  look  sharp,  too, 
so's  you'll  know  enough  to  feel  thankful  on  Thanksgiving 
Day." 

She  heard  Trinette  say  her  "Now  I  lay  me,"  tucked  her 
snugly  in  and  then,  just  for  that  once,  because  the  room 
was  new  and  strange  to  her,  sat  with  her  until  she  fell 
asleep. 

All  Grandma's  pets  had  their  breakfasts  before  Grandma 
herself  sat  down  to  hers,  and  it  was  while  fetching  milk 
for  the  kitten  and  water  for  the  bird  and  window-plants 
that  Trinette  had  her  first  lesson. 

"Now  watch  Muffins,"  suggested  Grandma  when  that 
small  pussy,  after  a  hearty  meal,  first  washing  both  front 
paws  and  then  his  pink  nose,  rolled  himself  into  a  furry 
ball  and  loudly  purred  his  satisfaction.  "That's  the  way 
Muffins  shows  his  '  thank-you's.' " 


LEARNING  HOW  71 

"Look  at  Twitters,"  said  Grandma,  with  a  smile,  when 
the  elderly  canary-bird,  after  a  dozen  dips  into  the  food 
and  water  mugs,  fluttered  to  his  perch  and  trilled  and  trem- 
oloed  in  shrill  delight.  "  That's  his  way  of  showing  it. 
And  here's  my  bonny  cyclamen,"  Grandma  concluded, 
carefully  watering  her  favorite  plant.  "Just  stick  your 
nose  right  in  here  among  the  pink  and  white  blossoms  and 
take  a  long,  long  sniff.  Smells  good,  doesn't  it?  Well, 
that's  the  way  my  posies  breathe  their  'thank-you's." 

After  breakfast,  in  jacket  and  tarn,  Trinette  went  with 
Grandma  to  see  the  chickens.  "Each  one,"  explained 
Grandma,  "after  drinking  puts  back  its  head  and  looks 
up  at  the  sky.  That's  my  hens'  'thank-you."1 

In  the  barn  Dan  and  Dobbin  turned  away  from  their 
overflowing  manger  to  look  at  Grandma  and  give  her  a 
happy  whinny  by  way  of  showing  how  they  felt,  while 
Clover  fixed  them  with  a  softly  solemn  black  eye  and  blew 
a  fragrant  sigh  at  them,  and  outside  Rover  bounded  about 
and  barked,  and  wildly  wagged  his  heartiest  Thanksgiv- 
ing feelings. 

"All  of  them,"  declared  Grandma,  quite  seriously,  "feel, 
show  and  say,  each  hi  his  own  peculiar  way,  that  they 
know  how  to  feel  'thank-you.'  Now  let's  go  hi  and  get 
ready  for  company." 

All  the  morning  long  Trinette  helped,  fetching  and 
carrying  for  Grandma  and  saving  her  steps.  The  company 
consisted  of  four  elderly  ladies,  and  after  dinner  the  six 
celebrators  gathered  before  the  open  fire,  while  Trinette 
sang  songs  which  she  had  learned  in  kindergarten.  Then, 
in  the  early  twilight,  the  little  girl  sat  on  her  own  particular 
hassock  at  Grandma's  knee  while  the  five  old  ladies  told  of 
former  Thanksgiving  days. 

Somehow,  whatever  form  the  story  took,  the  sum  and 
substance  of  each  one  was  a  big,  cordial,  really-truly 


72       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"thank-you,"  until  Trinette  felt  this  same  warm  Thanks- 
giving spirit  enfold  her  little  heart  too. 

Suddenly  there  were  steps  and  a  knock  at  the  front  door, 
and  when  Grandma  opened  it  there  stood  Father  and 
Mother  who  had  come  to  spend  the  evening  and  the  night 
with  their  little  daughter  at  Grandma's! 

"Come  in,  dearies!"  said  Grandma.  "Come  in!  How 
glad  and  thankful  I  am  you've  come  to  help  us  keep 
Thanksgiving!" 

But  Trinette  ran  to  her  mother  with  arms  outstretched. 
"Oh,  Mother,  Mother!"  she  cried.  "I've  learned  how  to 
feel  'thank-you/  Mother!  I  learned  it  this  morning, 
Father,  just  in  time  for  Thanksgiving,  and  I  learned  it 
from  everything  on  Grandma's  farm!" 

Adapted  from  story  by  KATE  HUDSON, 
in  the  Christian  Register.  Permis- 
sion of  author  and  publishers. 


LESSON  11 
A  LONG-AGO  THANKSGIVING 


Hymn:  "  Now  thank  we  all  our  God  "    (Page  211) 

Prayers:  "  We  thank  Thee  "  (Lesson  7)  and  "  All  things  come 
from  Thee,  O  Lord  "  (Page  210)  sung  as  a  prayer. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Basket  of  fruit  or  vegetables. 

Memory  Verse:  Now  thank  we  all  our  God, 

With  heart  and  hands  and  voices; 
Who  wondrous  things  hath  done, 
In  whom  His  world  rejoices. 

Handwork:  Model  some  familiar  fruit  or  vegetable. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

BRING  a  basket  of  fruit  or  vegetables  to  be  given  away 
after  the  class  to  some  one  chosen.     Arrange  the 
contents  of  the  basket  for  the  best  effect  and  notice  the 
beautiful  browns  and  reds,  the  yellows  and  purple,  and 
the  texture  of  the  skins. 

Ask  what  harm  is  done  to  plants  by  Jack  Frost;  if  vege- 
tables and  fruits  are  frozen;  how  we  can  get  food.  Perhaps 
Jack  Frost  may  not  spoil  the  plants  in  other  countries; 
may  we  not  send  away  for  food?  We  are  today  giving 
thanks.  How  may  we  help  others  to  be  thankful? 


73 


A  LONG-AGO  THANKSGIVING 

ONE  night  after  supper  the  children  and  their  grand- 
mother were  sitting  before  the  fire  ready  for  their 
good-night  story. 

"Tell  us  about  Thanksgiving,  Grandma,"  they  said, 
"a  long-ago  Thanksgiving." 

"The  long-ago  Thanksgiving  was  a  very  real  one,"  said 
Grandma.  "When  I  was  as  little  as  you,  my  grandma 
used  to  tell  me  of  the  very  first  Thanksgiving,  and  I  think 
you  ought  to  know  that  same  story.  So  I  am  going  to  tell 
it  to  you. 

"This  country,  you  know,  was  not  always  peopled  with 
white  men.  Indians  lived  here.  After  a  time  there  came 
a  ship  from  England  with  white  men  and  women  who  had 
come  here  to  make  their  home.  They  planted  corn  in  the 
spring,  but  the  frost  killed  it,  and  although  they  had  brought 
much  food  with  them  it  was  almost  gone. 

"Each  day  for  a  long  tune  these  people  had  expected 
that  a  ship  would  come  from  their  old  home  bringing  them 
the  food  they  so  much  needed.  They  were  very  careful 
of  their  small  supply,  and  they  watched  and  waited  and 
grew  very  anxious. 

"The  men  could  hunt  and  get  game  to  eat;  but  they 
must  have  bread.  Would  the  ship  ever  come? 

"The  children,  too,  used  to  look  for  the  ship,  and  some- 
tunes  they  saw  something  that  seemed  like  a  sail,  but 
which  proved  to  be  something  else. 

"One  day  some  children  were  playing  when  one  called 
to  the  others  'See!  Look  away  off  yonder!'  The  children 
looked  and  waited  a  little  to  be  more  sure  and  then  ran  as 

74 


A  LONG-AGO  THANKSGIVING  75 

fast  as  they  could  go  to  tell  their  people.  'The  ship  is 
coming!  The  ship  is  coming!'  they  called  as  they  ran. 
And  sure  enough,  what  looked  at  first  like  a  speck  grew 
larger  and  larger  till  they  were  all  very  sure  it  was  a  ship. 
Yes,  it  was  their  ship,  for  it  was  coming  right  toward  them. 

"Now  there  was  great  joy.  They  would  have  news 
from  their  friends  whom  they  had  left  behind  in  the  old 
country;  they  would  greet  the  friends  who  were  on  the 
ship,  but  best  of  all,  they  would  have  food,  and  neither  the 
children  nor  the  parents  would  starve! 

"Was  not  this  reason  for  giving  thanks? 

"So  all  the  people  came  together  and  gave  thanks  to 
God  for  all  his  goodness.  Everybody  was  glad.  They 
invited  their  friends  and  then-  families  to  come  to  dinner 
and  very  fine  dinners  were  prepared.  They  all  enjoyed 
this  day,  and  the  next  year  when  the  frost  did  not  spoil 
their  corn  and  they  had  plenty  to  eat,  again  they  met 
together  and  gave  thanks  to  God  for  His  love  in  sending 
all  they  needed. 

"Now  every  year  the  President  of  the  United  States  tells 
the  people  to  meet  the  last  Thursday  in  November  and  give 
special  thanks  to  God  for  His  goodness  to  His  children. 

"Do  you  see  now  why  we  keep  Thanksgiving?" 


LESSON   12 
THE  THANKFUL  ROBIN 


Hymn:   "  Now  thank  we  all  our  God  "    (Page  211) 
Prayer:   (Select  from  those  learned.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Spray  of  woodbine,  bitter-sweet  or  any 

shrub  with  berries. 

Memory  Verse:  Seed-time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat, 
and  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night 
shall  not  cease. 

Handwork:  Color  robin,  berries  and  leaves. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

INTEREST  the  class  in  the  shades  of  color  in  the  berries 
of  the  woodbine,  or  bitter-sweet,  or  barberry.  Notice 
how  the  yellow  capsule  of  the  bitter-sweet  has  opened  and 
how  it  shows  to  the  birds  its  red  seed  vessel.  See  how  the 
red  barberries  shine,  and  how  beautiful  is  the  spray  in 
the  vase. 

Ask  where  the  birds  can  gather  food  when  there  is  snow 
over  the  ground;  if  a  bird  might  like  to  go  into  a  house 
in  winter  and  why;  when  a  bird  hears  others  singing  what 
he  himself  is  apt  to  do.  How  can  we  help  feed  the  birds? 


76 


THE  THANKFUL  ROBIN 

ONE  year  about  Christmas  time  a  great  snowstorm 
covered  all  the  fields  and  hills,  putting  white  coats 
on  the  trees  and  little  white  caps  on  all  the  seed-pods  as 
they  stood  on  their  tall  plant  stems,  swaying  in  the  wind. 

It  was  very  cold,  but  the  children  liked  it.  It  was  fun 
to  make  snow  men  and  build  snow  forts;  and  no  matter 
how  hard  the  wind  blew  nor  how  cold  it  was,  there  was 
always  a  warm  place  for  them  in  then-  snug  warm  homes 
and  food  for  them  when  they  were  hungry. 

But  out-doors  in  the  cold  a  poor  Robin  Redbreast  was 
shivering  in  the  snow,  and  oh,  he  was  so  hungry!  It  seemed 
to  hun  that  he  hadn't  had  anything  to  eat  for  nearly  a 
month.  Every  grain  of  corn  in  the  barnyard  was  buried 
under  the  snow,  people  forgot  to  throw  out  crumbs,  and 
the  seeds  and  berries  that  were  his  food  in  the  coldest 
weather  were  so  thickly  coated  with  ice  and  snow  that  he 
couldn't  even  crack  them  with  his  bill.  When  it  came 
night,  he  had  no  warm  corner  to  hop  into  while  he  tucked 
his  head  under  his  wing,  and  poor  Robin  was  so  cold  and 
hungry  and  miserable  that  he  couldn't  even  chirp. 

One  very  cold  night  he  perched  on  the  ivy  at  one  of  the 
windows  of  the  great  church.  He  had  seen  little  children 
going  in  and  out,  all  day,  with  their  arms  filled  with  Christ- 
mas greens;  last  of  all,  after  the  children  had  gone  home, 
some  men  had  carried  in  a  wonderful  tree  which  they 
placed  hi  the  most  prominent  place  of  all  and  made  it 
beautiful  for  the  children's  surprise. 

After  a  while  every  one  went  away  and  Robin  tried  to 
make  himself  comfortable  for  the  night.  As  he  sat  swaying 

77 


78       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

on  his  perch,  he  saw  a  little  spot  of  light  bobbing  up  and 
down  hi  the  distance,  —  coming  nearer,  too,  it  seemed 
to  be,  and  Robin  hopped  down  to  see  what  it  could  mean. 
It  was  the  sexton  with  his  bright  shining  lantern  who  had 
come  back  to  see  if  the  fires  were  all  right  to  leave  for  the 
night,  and  as  he  opened  the  door  to  step  inside,  the  wind 
and  snow  and  a  poor  little  shivering  robin  went  hi  too. 

But  the  sexton  never  knew.  He  banked  the  fires  and 
went  home,  leaving  Robin  alone. 

Oh,  how  warm  and  quiet  it  was!  Robin  tucked  his  head 
under  his  wing  and  went  to  sleep  on  an  oaken  rafter. 

How  beautiful  everything  looked  hi  the  morning.  It 
was  like  a  great  forest,  big  and  green  and  beautiful.  Little 
Christmas  trees  were  banked  against  the  wall  and  great 
masses  of  holly  hid  the  pulpit.  Robin  could  hardly  believe 
it  was  true. 

" Chirp!  Chirp!"  he  cried,  and  flew  from  rafter  to 
rafter.  What  a  wonderful  place  to  wake  hi!  Just  then 
he  saw  the  red  berries.  "Chirp!  Chirp!  I  wonder  if  they 
are  good  to  eat!  I  think  I'll  try  one!"  said  he,  and  down 
he  flew  right  into  the  most  beautiful  spray  of  holly.  Oh, 
how  good  they  tasted  to  a  hungry  robin!  And  there  were 
so  many!  Robin  flew  from  festoon  to  wreath  and  ate 
until  he  was  tired,  and  then  he  flew  up  to  the  rafter  for 
another  nap. 

While  he  was  sleeping  the  children  began  to  come  in 
again.  They  were  coming  to  sing  their  carols  at  an  early 
service,  and  soon  the  church  was  filled  with  happy  chil- 
dren. Then  the  organ  played  and  they  began  to  sing. 

Robin  woke  up  and  watched  everything  quietly  from 
his  perch.  He  felt  warm  and  happy,  he  liked  the  music; 
hi  fact  he  began  to  feel  like  singing  too. 

In  the  midst  of  the  second  verse  he  broke  in.  High  and 
clear  and  sweet  he  sang,  and  the  children  looked  up  amazed. 


THE  THANKFUL  ROBIN  79 

The  minister  raised  his  hand  and  the  organist  and  the 
children  were  quiet,  wondering  and  listening. 

Robin  was  singing  a  solo  now;  he  threw  his  little  head 
back  and  sang  and  sang,  while  the  happy  children  listened. 
He  finished  his  song  with  a  joyful  "Chirp!  Chirp!"  and 
all  was  still. 

" Children,"  said  the  minister,  "this  little  bird  sings 
because  he  is  grateful  to  the  Heavenly  Father  who  cares 
for  all,  and  who  knows  even  when  a  sparrow  falleth.  Let 
us  thank  Him,  too,  in  our  carols  for  this  happy  Christmas." 
And  the  air  was  filled  with  children's  voices  singing  their 
song  of  praise  to  God  for  His  great  kindness.  The  robin 
had  taught  them  how  to  give  thanks  with  all  their  hearts 
for  the  love  and  care  which  surrounded  them. 

Adapted  from  the  poem  "Robin's  Christ- 
mas," printed  many  years  ago  in  a 
miscellaneous  collection  called  the 
Christmas  Eve  Series,  published  by 
McLaughlin  Bros. 


DECEMBER 


Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE   AND   SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE  IN  A  GREAT  GIFT 

All  round  about  our  feet  shall  shine 

A  light  like  that  the  wise  men  saw, 
If  we  our  loving  wills  incline 

To  that  sweet  Life  which  is  the  Law. 

So  shall  we  learn  to  understand 

The  simple  faith  of  shepherds  then, 
And,  clasping  kindly  hand  hi  hand, 

Sing,  "  Peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men!  " 

James  Russell  Lowell 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

r|  THE  joy  centering  about  the  festival  of  the  Christ 
JL  child's  birth  and  the  spirit  of  good  will  should  receive 
the  emphasis  in  the  month's  lessons.  Kind  acts  and  loving 
words  now  more  than  ever  fill  all  minds  and  hearts,  and 
in  special  connection  with  these  is  the  thought  of  the  great 
gift  of  the  Christ  child. 

The  quiet  music  suggested  for  the  month  is  "He  shall 
feed  his  flock"  from  The  Messiah,  or  "Silent  Night." 


81 


LESSON  13 
THE  SILENT  NIGHT 


Hymn:  "  Silent  Night."    (Page  214) 

Prayer:  Our  Father  hi  heaven,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  Christ- 
mas time.  May  the  spirit  that  was  hi  Jesus  be  hi 
the  hearts  of  all  Thy  children. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Evergreen. 

Memory  Verse:  Glory  to  God  hi  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace  among  men. 

Handwork:  Cut  stars  from  gold  paper  and  paste  below  the 
hymn  as  a  border. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  how  the  evergreen  with  its  beautiful  freshness 
makes  us  glad  at  the  time  when  other  plants  are  dried 
and  dead. 

Ask  why  sheep  may  stay  out  of  doors  in  the  cold  nights; 
who  takes  care  of  them.  Tell  of  the  shepherds'  warm 
cloaks  which  they  wrap  about  themselves  when  they  sleep 
out  of  doors;  of  the  dogs  who  help  the  shepherds.  Tell 
the  story  as  it  is  written  and  try  to  express  the  stillness 
described  in  the  second  paragraph. 

The  section  of  the  Introduction  on  "Handwork"  offers 
suggestions  for  Christmas. 


82 


THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

LUKE  2:  8-21 

ONE  night  long  ago  some  shepherds  were  out  in  the 
field  with  their  sheep.  All  day  these  men  had  been 
moving  from  place  to  place  while  then*  sheep  were  feeding, 
taking  care  that  none  of  them  was  hurt  or  wandered  too 
far  away.  And  now  that  night  had  come  they  were  glad 
to  lie  down  on  the  ground  to  rest.  Wrapped  in  their  big 
cloaks,  they  were  soon  asleep.  But  not  all  of  them  slept. 
Some  of  the  shepherds  must  keep  awake,  for  night  and 
day  the  sheep  and  lambs  must  be  guarded. 

The  night  was  very  still.  The  sky  was  dark,  but  the 
stars  were  shining.  A  tiny  curl  of  smoke  arose  from  the 
ashes  where  the  fire  had  been.  A  little  spark  would  now 
and  then  snap  from  the  coals,  and  the  shepherd  dogs  hear- 
ing it  would  stir  and  turn  nearer  to  the  warmth.  A  lamb 
would  make  a  little  cry  as  it  moved  nearer  to  its  mother. 
There  were  no  other  sounds.  The  shepherds  who  watched 
were  still. 

Suddenly  the  men  were  much  startled,  for  all  about 
them  there  shone  a  wonderful  light.  Its  glory  filled  the 
place  and  dazzled  the  eyes  of  all  with  its  brightness.  The 
shepherds  were  much  afraid,  but  a  voice  said  to  them: 
"Be  not  afraid;  for  behold,  I  bring  you  good  news  of  a 
great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all  people;  for  there  is  born  to 
you  this  day  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour  which  is  Christ, 
the  Lord.  If  you  search  and  find  a  babe  wrapped  in  swad- 
dling clothes  lying  in  a  manger,  you  will  know  that  it  is 

the  Christ  child." 

83 


84       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Then  the  shepherds  heard  many  voices  singing  and  the 
music  was  more  beautiful  than  any  they  had  ever  heard. 
The  voices  sang,  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  to  men."  Over  and  over  the  song  was 
sung  with  the  wonderful  light  shining,  —  and  then  it  ceased. 
The  light  was  gone  and  the  shepherds  were  alone.  They 
said  to  one  another,  "Let  us  go  even  to  Bethlehem  and  see 
this  that  has  happened." 

Hastily  they  started  toward  Bethlehem,  and  they  hurried 
on  until  they  found  the  place.  Cautiously  they  went  into 
the  stable,  and  hi  the  dim  light  they  saw  what  they  had 
come  so  far  and  so  fast  to  find.  There,  lying  in  the 
manger,  was  the  little  Christ  child!  Joseph,  the  father, 
and  Mary,  the  mother,  were  near,  and  the  shepherds  told 
to  them  all  the  story  of  the  beautiful  light  and  the  heavenly 
music.  Joseph  and  Mary  wondered  at  all  the  shepherds 
said;  but  Mary  kept  all  that  they  said  hi  her  heart  and 
thought  much  about  it.  "Will  my  little  babe  be  a  joy 
to  all  people?"  she  thought. 

And  deep  hi  her  heart  a  voice  seemed  to  say  that  he 
would  be  a  joy  to  all  who  knew  him. 


LESSON  14 
BRINGING  THEIR  GIFTS 


Carol:  "  Bells  of  Christmas."    (Page  212) 
Prayer:   (The  Christmas  prayer  from  Lesson  13.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  Christmas  ferns. 

Memory  Verse:  First  Stanza  of  "  Silent  Night." 
The  verse  for  the  month. 

Handwork:   Make  Christmas  bells  or  trees. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

E  Christmas  ferns  or  any  variety  of  evergreen  is 
_L    brought  again  for  its  beauty  and  cheer.     The  class 
will  like  to  make  of  the  evergreen  a  Christmas  token  to 
send  to  some  one  whom  they  shall  choose. 

We  are  glad  when  a  little  baby  is  born  in  our  home. 
We  tell  everybody  about  it.  If  a  little  baby  were  born  who 
was  to  be  a  king,  much  more  would  all  people  know  and 
talk  of  it.  When  we  wish  to  show  our  love  we  take  gifts 
to  our  friends.  If  the  gift  is  very  fine,  it  is  carefully 
wrapped.  These  are  some  of  the  points  the  teacher  will 
question  about  to  gain  interest  and  help  to  make  real  the 
story  of  the  event  described. 


85 


BRINGING  THEIR  GIFTS 

news  that  the  Christ  child  was  born  was  quickly 
J_  told  in  all  the  country  far  and  near.  Some  wise  men 
hi  the  East  had  seen  a  wonderful  star  hi  the  sky  and 
they  went  to  the  king's  city  to  ask  where  the  little  babe 
was  of  whom  they  had  heard.  "  People  say  he  is  to  be 
king  of  the  Jews  and  we  want  to  go  and  worship  him," 
the  wise  men  said. 

King  Herod  was  troubled  when  he  heard  this,  and  all 
the  people  hi  the  city  were  troubled;  but  they  did  not 
know  where  the  babe  was.  The  king  called  the  priests 
together  and  asked  them  where  it  was  said  that  this  child 
should  be  born  who  was  to  be  long.  The  priests  said,  "In 
Bethlehem."  So  Herod  spoke  privately  to  the  wise  men 
and  asked  them  when  the  star  appeared  which  they  had 
seen,  and  they  told  the  king  all  they  knew  about  it. 

"Go  now  to  Bethlehem  and  search  until  you  find  the 
child,  and  then  come  back  and  bring  me  word  of  all  that 
is  said  of  him.  I,  too,  wish  to  go  and  worship  him,"  said 
King  Herod.  The  wise  men  listened  to  the  king  and  then 
went  on  their  way,  and  the  star  went  before  them  moving 
in  the  sky.  At  last  it  stopped.  The  wise  men  rejoiced, 
for  they  felt  sure  that  they  would  find  the  babe. 

It  was  just  as  they  expected,  for  they  went  into  the 
house  and  there  found  what  they  had  come  so  far  to  find. 
Mary,  the  mother,  must  have  wondered  to  see  the  men 
kneel  down  before  her  child.  Tenderly  they  touched  the 
little  hand  as  Mary  held  the  babe  for  them  to  see.  Care- 
fully and  joyously  they  unrolled  the  treasures  which  they 

86 


BRINGING  THEIR  GIFTS  87 

had  brought  as  gifts  to  this,  their  new  king.  All  the  gold 
and  all  the  precious  gifts  they  laid  down  before  him  to 
show  their  love  and  their  joy  that  the  Christ  child  was  born. 
Then  they  went  away  quietly,  that  they  might  not  dis- 
turb the  baby  who  was  now  sleeping.  But  they  did  not 
go  to  the  king,  for  God  told  them  to  go  to  their  homes 
another  way,  and  they  went,  happy  indeed  that  they  had 
found  the  wonderful  child. 


LESSON  15 
THE  FIRST   JOURNEY 


Hymn:   "  Silent  Night,"  and  the  Carol.    (Pp.  212,  214) 
Prayer:   (The  Christmas  prayer,  Lesson  13.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk:   Holly  with  berries. 
Memory  Verse :  (Review  those  for  the  month.) 

Handwork:  Color  the  motto  on  the  separate  sheet  as  a  Christ- 
mas card. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

RECALL  the  berries  used  in  other  lessons.    Are  these 
as  bright  and  beautiful?     Notice  the  shiny  leaves. 
Give  a  spray  to  each  child. 

Ask  if  the  children  remember  about  a  lesson  in  which 
a  little  boy  baby  was  hidden  in  a  cradle  in  the  water;  why 
this  was  done.  Tell  them  that  harm  was  coming  to  the 
little  babe  of  whom  our  last  lesson  told.  Ask  what  the 
children  would  do  if  they  were  not  safe  in  any  place.  The 
parents  of  Jesus  went  away  with  him  because  of  what 
the  king  had  said.  Tell  how  people  travelled  long  ago. 


THE  FIRST  JOURNEY 

"IT  THEN  the  wise  men  went  to  their  home  and  did  not 
VV  return  to  King  Herod  and  tell  him  where  the  babe 
was,  the  king  was  very  angry. 

How  could  he  find  the  babe?  For  find  him  he  must. 
He  was  not  willing  that  any  one  except  his  own  son  should 
grow  up  to  be  king.  After  thinking  about  it,  Herod  sent 
out  an  order  that  all  the  boy  babies  in  the  country  about 
Bethlehem,  who  were  two  years  old  or  less,  should  be 
killed.  In  this  way  he  thought  he  could  prevent  Jesus 
from  growing  up  to  be  king  as  the  wise  men  had  said. 

But  what  the  king  planned  did  not  happen.  Joseph, 
the  father  of  Jesus,  dreamed  one  night  that  he  must  take 
the  young  child  and  his  mother  and  go  at  once  to  another 
country.  The  voice  seemed  to  speak  so  plainly  to  him 
that  he  arose  and  with  Mary  and  Jesus  quickly  started 
away  in  the  night  so  that  no  one  could  see  them.  The 
voice  had  said,  "  Herod,  the  king,  seeks  the  young  child's 
life." 

A  long  and  tiresome  journey  they  found  it,  although 
Joseph  made  everything  as  comfortable  as  he  could  for 
Mary  and  the  baby.  They  rode  on  a  donkey,  Joseph  travel- 
ling by  their  side  with  a  stout  stick  in  his  hand  to  aid  him 
hi  rough  walking.  After  resting  at  night  on  then*  blanket 
on  the  ground  they  would  start  early  in  the  cool  morning, 
rest  during  the  hot  noontime  and  travel  on  again  in  the 
cool  evening.  So  they  went  on  and  on  until  at  last  the 
country  was  reached  where  they  were  to  make  their  home, 
and  a  story  says  that  even  the  wild  animals  and  birds  they 
met  on  this  long  journey  were  kind  and  friendly  because 
they  felt  the  love  of  the  little  child. 


90       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

After  a  time  the  voice  spoke  again  to  Joseph  in  a  dream 
and  told  him  that  King  Herod  was  dead  and  that  it  would 
now  be  safe  to  go  back  to  their  own  country  to  live.  How 
glad  they  felt  at  the  thought  of  going  home  again!  Joseph 
and  Mary  could  see  their  old  friends  once  more,  and  Jesus, 
their  little  child,  could  grow  and  learn  to  play  and  to  work 
in  their  old  home! 

But  Joseph  did  not  yet  feel  wholly  safe,  for  when  he  heard 
who  was  king  instead  of  Herod  he  said  at  once,  "We  must 
go  among  friends  in  another  place."  The  voice  that  had 
spoken  to  him  before  told  him  to  go  to  Nazareth  to  live, 
and  Joseph  obeyed  the  voice. 

So  at  Nazareth  the  little  boy  grew  up,  becoming  stronger 
and  wiser  each  day  and  filled  with  love  for  those  around 
him- 


LESSON  16 
THE  NEW  YEAR'S  MESSAGE 


Poem:   "Who  comes  dancing  over  the  snow?" 

Hymn:   (Select  from  those  learned.) 

Prayer:  (As  learned.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:   Frost,  ice,  snow  —  real,  or  picture. 

Memory  Verse:  Ring  out  the  old,  ring  hi  the  new. 

Handwork:  Color  bells  in  line  print. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

IF  location  permits,  go  to  the  window  to  see  the  beauty 
of  the  frost,  the  snow,  the  ice.     Otherwise  use  the 
picture  of  the  "  Little  New  Year." 

Ask  what  are  in  the  belfries  of  churches;  why  bells  are 
rung;  if  their  sound  is  always  the  same;  which  bell  that 
the  children  know  has  the  sweetest  sound;  if  any  one  has 
heard  a  chime  of  bells,  and  what  the  chimes  tell  us.  Speak 
of  the  custom  of  ringing  bells  at  midnight,  at  the  close  of 
the  year,  to  welcome  in  the  new  year. 


91 


THE  NEW  YEAR'S  MESSAGE 

BY  ANDREA  HOFER  PROUDFOOT 

ALL  the  year  round  the  three  great  bells  of  the  village 
spoke  to  each  other,  back  and  forth  from  belfry  to 
belfry,  nodding  and  swinging.  Each  had  but  one  word  to 
say  and  he  said  it  over  and  over,  asking  and  answering  in 
the  very  same  tone. 

One  would  throw  himself  up  into  the  air  and  hang  there, 
trembling  all  over,  his  great  tongue  quivering,  waiting  for 
the  answer  from  his  neighbor  with  the  shining  brass  sides 
that  hung  in  the  tower  across  the  little  stream;  and  then 
from  far  down  the  valley  would  peal  forth  the  ring  of  the 
third  great  bell,  —  all  this  while  the  first  one  was  waiting 
for  his  turn  to  speak  again. 

These  bells  hung  and  swung  far  above  the  heads  of  every- 
body in  the  village.  They  had  but  one  thing  to  say  and 
one  way  to  say  it,  but  since  the  people  did  not  understand, 
it  did  very  well,  and  every  one  loved  these  three  brothers 
and  never  even  questioned  what  they  meant. 

Though  they  did  not  speak  in  the  same  tone  they  were 
of  the  same  mind,  and  even  when  they  spoke  together  they 
did  not  jangle  hi  the  least,  but  sounded  so  sweetly,  espe- 
cially in  the  ears  of  the  children,  who  always  stopped  and 
looked  up.  Whenever  they  spoke  together  thus  they  told 
that  a  little  child  was  born  somewhere  in  the  village,  some 
one  had  a  little  new  brother  or  sister,  and  so  the  children 
smiled.  And  when  the  year  was  born  perhaps  that  was 
why  the  ringing  brought  them  such  joy. 

"Hark,  hark,  the  bells!" 

92 


THE  NEW  YEAR'S  MESSAGE  93 

Every  one  in  the  village  awoke  at  twelve  o'clock  on 
New  Year's  Eve  except  the  children,  for  out  on  the  night 
there  poured  the  rich  clanging  of  the  bells. 

All  the  grown  people  got  up,  peered  out  of  the  window, 
saw  the  clear  sky  and  the  ocean  of  stars,  then  they  wished 
each  other  a  very  sleepy  "Happy  New  Year,"  saying 
that  they  hoped  it  would  bring  some  good  with  it,  and 
back  they  went  to  sleep  again. 

But  the  children  did  not  wake  up, —  they  dreamed  on 
and  on  under  then-  coverlets;  perhaps  some  of  them  turned 
over  or  stretched  themselves,  but  not  a  single  one  opened 
an  eye.  Wasn't  it  strange? 

But  when  the  frosty  light  of  the  morning  poured  over 
the  houses  from  out  the  blue  sky,  every  single  child  hi  the 
village  started  out  of  dreamland,  and  such  dreams  as  they 
did  tell!  From  one  end  of  the  village  to  the  other  every 
household,  where  there  were  any  children,  heard  wonder- 
tales  that  could  scarcely  be  believed.  They  told  of  having 
seen  flower-beds  right  out  in  the  snow,  and  of  music  and 
lights  all  over  everything.  They  told  of  children  with 
the  happiest  faces,  laughing  and  playing  and  dancing  and 
singing. 

What  had  come  to  all  the  little  ones?  The  wise  people 
of  the  village  were  all  puzzled,  for  no  one,  not  even  the 
old  sextons  who  pulled  the  ropes,  had  noticed  anything 
strange  in  the  ringing. 

There  were  many  old  men  and  women  in  the  village  who 
had  heard  the  bells  for  years  and  years,  and  they  did  not 
know  as  much  about  their  meaning  as  the  little  folks,  and 
how  they  all  wondered  at  the  dreams  that  came  to  the 
children  on  that  New  Year's  night. 

This  must  have  been  the  way  it  all  came  about:  A  beauti- 
ful friend  who  had  told  the  children  stories  and  taught 
them  wonderful  things  had  asked  each  to  watch  for  the 


94       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

message  of  the  New  Year  which  comes  after  the  Christ 
child's  birth. 

Every  child  that  was  loving  and  helpful  and  trusting 
would  hear  on  the  eve  of  the  New  Year  a  wonder-tale, 
and  don't  you  see,  each  child  went  to  sleep  that  night 
waiting  and  watching  for  it,  and  it  had  to  come.  If  the 
grown  people  had  done  the  same  it  would  probably  have 
come  to  them,  too,  but  they  are  often  too  busy  to  hear 
and  see  even  the  most  beautiful  things.  We  are  glad  that 
children  are  not. 

The  bells  have  a  really  deep  story  to  tell  that  very  few 
have  ever  guessed,  and  what  they  tell  seems  easier  for 
the  children  to  understand  than  for  grown  folks;  it  is  about 
the  childhood  of  the  year. 

The  song  that  the  New  Year  sings  through  the  lips  of 
a  bell  is  something  like  this,  if  we  put  it  into  words  that 
the  ears  can  understand: 

"Good  people,  awake, 

And  list  to  the  bell:  — 
Begin  with  the  year 
To  know  that  all's  well." 

Listen!  and  perhaps  on  New  Year's  Eve  each  one  of  us 
may  hear  the  happiest  greeting,  so  that  the  next  day  when 
we  call  out  " Happy  New  Year"  to  every  friend  we  meet, 
there  will  be  so  much  joy  hi  it  that  they  will  be  gladder 
than  they  ever  were  before. 

Used  with  permission  of  author  and 
A.  Flannagan  Company,  publishers. 


JANUARY 

Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE  AND   SERVICE 

Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE    IN    NATURE'S    MESSAGE 

Greet  the  unseen  with  a  cheer! 
Bid  him  forward! 

Robert  Browning 

I  saw  the  pines  against  the  white  north  sky, 
Very  beautiful  and  still  and  bending  over 
Their  sharp  black  heads  against  a  quiet  sky  .  .  . 
.  .  .  and  I  was  happy,  being  glad  of  you, 
O  pine  tree  and  the  sky! 

Rupert  Brooke 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 


rTHHE  message  of  nature  that  comes  through  the  stars 
JL    and  sun  and  moon,  through  the  snow  and  frost  is  a 
message  of  love.     Try  to  lead  the  thought  to  the  great 
Goodness  that  sends  the  beauty  and  light  to  the  world. 

The  music  suggested  for  the  month  is  from  Beethoven's 
"Second  Symphony."  It  will  be  found  in  A  Disciples 
Service  under  the  title  "God  of  the  light,  at  whose  com- 
mand." Or  "St.  Agnes,"  number  68  in  the  Hymn  and 
Tune  Book,  may  be  used. 


95 


LESSON   17 
THE   STARS  AND   THE   CHILD 


Hymn:  "  For  the  Beauty  of  the  Earth."    (Page  215) 

Prayer:  We  thank  Thee  for  the  million  eyes  of  heaven  that 
look  down  on  us  at  night;  but  most  of  all  we  thank 
Thee  for  Thy  love. 

From  "  Prayers  "  by  Theodore  Parker 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Cones  on  a  spray  of  pine  or  fir. 
Memory  Verse:    The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God. 
Handwork:   Color  border  and  initials  of  prayer  text. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

LET  the  children  notice  the  beauty  of  color  of  the  cones 
and  arrangement  of  the  scales,  and  show  them  where 
the  seeds  are  at  the  base  of  the  scales. 

It  will  be  desirable  to  teach  with  this  lesson  both  the 
short  memory  verse  and  the  words  of  the  new  prayer. 

Ask  if  the  children  can  tell  when  one  is  happy  and  good; 
how  they  know;  whether  the  stars  seem  to  be  looking  at 
us  and  speaking  to  us.  They  are  our  far-away  friends. 
The  story  today  is  about  these  friends  and  their  joy  at 
the  news  of  the  birth  of  a  loving  child.  A  loving  child 
means  more  happiness  for  all  the  world. 


96 


THE  STARS  AND  THE  CHILD 

BY  ANDREA  HOFER  PROUDFOOT 

LONG,  long  ago  —  so  long  that  even  the  old  gray  hills 
have  forgotten  —  the  beautiful  stars  in  the  sky  used  to 
sing  together  very  early  every  morning,  before  any  of  the 
little  people  of  the  world  were  up.  Their  songs  were  made 
of  light,  and  were  so  clear  and  strong  that  the  whole  heaven 
would  shine  when  they  sang. 

One  morning,  as  the  stars  sang  and  listened  to  each  other, 
they  heard  a  beautiful  music  coming  swiftly  toward  them. 
It  was  so  much  louder  and  sweeter  than  their  own  that 
they  all  stopped  and  listened  and  wondered.  It  came 
from  far  above  them,  from  out  the  very  deepest  blue  of 
the  sky.  It  was  a  new  star,  and  it  sang  an  entirely  new 
song  that  no  one  had  ever  heard  before. 

"Hark,  hark!"  the  stars  cried.  "Let  us  hear  what  it  is 
saying." 

And  the  beautiful  star  sang  it  over  and  over  again,  and 
its  song  told  of  a  lovely  babe  that  had  come  on  earth,  a 
babe  so  beautiful  that  it  was  the  joy  of  the  whole  world. 
Yes,  so  beautiful  that  when  you  looked  at  it  you  saw  real 
light  streaming  from  its  face. 

Every  little  child  in  the  world  has  light  in  its  face  if  we 
but  know  how  to  see  it;  but  this  little  one  had  so  very 
much  that  its  mother  wondered  as  she  looked  down  upon 
her  lap  and  saw  it  there.  And  there  were  shepherds  there 
to  look  at  the  babe,  and  many  other  people  saw  it  and 
could  not  understand. 

97 


98       THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

But  the  one  beautiful  star  knew  —  yes,  it  knew  all  about 
it;  and  what  do  you  think  it  knew?  Why,  that  this  child 
was  God's  own  child,  and  it  was  so  good  and  loving  that 
the  whole  world  when  it  heard  of  it  would  want  to  know 
how  to  be  so  too. 

This  one  beautiful  star  travelled  on  and  on,  telling  all 
the  way  what  it  knew  of  the  child,  and  its  light  fairly 
danced  through  the  sky,  and  hung  over  the  very  place 
where  the  little  one  lay. 

All  the  stars  in  the  heavens  were  puzzled.  They  heard 
the  song  of  the  wonderful  star  that  had  come  such  a  long, 
long  way,  and  saw  its  brightness. 

The  words  of  its  song  were,  "A  loving  child,  a  loving 
child  is  on  the  earth." 

And  as  they  listened,  these  stars  all  looked  down  to  find 
the  child,  but  they  could  not  see  so  far.  And  the  strang- 
est part  of  it  all  was,  they  could  not  sing  their  old  songs 
any  longer,  the  sweet  new  one  was  so  much  more  beauti- 
ful, and  so  they  sang  that:  "A  loving  child,  a  loving  child 
is  on  the  earth." 

It  is  said  that  although  they  did  not  find  the  beautiful 
babe  of  which  the  great  star  sang,  they  are  still  seeking 
and  listening  and  waiting.  Every  quiet  evening  they  look 
down  upon  each  little  child,  right  down  into  each  little 
heart,  and  ask,  "Is  this  the  child  that  is  really  loving?" 
They  peep  out  of  the  sky  just  as  the  dear  little  babes  are 
being  tucked  into  bed,  and  down  they  peer,  right  into  the 
windows. 

That  is  why  the  stars  come  just  at  bedtime,  for  then 
they  know  where  they  can  find  the  loving  child.  It  is  in 
its  dear  mother's  lap,  the  light  is  shining  in  its  face  most 
of  all,  for  it  laughs  up  into  the  sweet  eyes,  and  love  seems 
all  over  everything.  The  stars  know,  for  they  have  watched 
for  many  long  years. 


THE  STARS  AND  THE  CHILD  99 

And  when  they  do  find  a  truly  loving  child,  a  child  with 
a  shining  face,  a  trusting  heart  and  gentle  ways,  they 
shine  out  brightly  and  sing  with  joy  over  and  over  again, 
"A  loving  child,  a  loving  child  is  on  the  earth." 

Permission   of   author   and   publishers, 
A.  Flannagan  Company. 


LESSON  18 
HOW  THE  MOON  HELPED 


Hymn:    (Select  from  those  learned.) 

Prayer:  For  sister  moon  and  for  the  stars  do  we  give  Thee 
praise. 

For  the  Nature  Talk :  A  bowl  of  partridge  berries. 
Memory  Verse:   (The  words  of  the  prayer.) 
Handwork:   Color  space  blue,  and  cut  and  paste  moon. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

KEEP  the  partridge  berries  during  the  month.     Notice 
the  beauty  of  the  berries  and  that  they  grow  in  pairs, 
companions  for  each  other.    Tell  of  the  soft  bed  of  moss  in 
which  they  grow  under  the  shelter  of  the  great  trees  of  the 
forest. 

Talk  about  the  things  that  we  can  see  which  cannot  be 
reached;  about  the  uses  of  the  wind.  Ask  if  any  one  has 
been  alone  on  a  trolley  ride;  if  any  one  has  been  sent  a 
long  distance  to  do  an  errand;  if  any  one  has  taken  care 
of  brother  or  sister  when  doing  an  errand.  The  moon 
seems  to  say,  "I  am  watching  over  you.  I  am  your  good 
friend." 


100 


HOW  THE  MOON  HELPED 

was  once  a  little  boy  who  wondered  and  won- 
_L  dered  about  the  things  he  could  see  but  could  not 
reach.  Sometimes  it  was  about  the  stars  that  twinkled 
and  shone  so  bright  in  the  dark  sky  at  night;  sometimes 
about  the  moon  with  its  clear  white  light.  Again  he  won- 
dered at  the  pure  feathery  snow  that  covered  the  brown 
earth  like  a  soft  white  blanket,  or  at  the  wind  that  bent 
the  shrubs  and  tall  trees  so  that  their  branches  nearly 
touched  the  ground. 

Mother  had  told  him  that  God  made  the  moon  and 
stars,  the  snow  and  rain,  and  had  given  each  one  of  them 
some  work  to  do  to  help  His  people. 

Edward  could  not  quite  see  how  they  could  help,  but  he 
knew  that  Mother  was  always  right,  and  again  and  again 
he  would  ask  for  stories  of  the  wind,  the  moon  and  the 
stars,  until  he  learned  to  know  and  love  them  as  his  friends. 

One  day  he  was  playing  with  his  kite  in  the  great  field 
behind  the  house  when  he  heard  his  mother  calling,  "Ed- 
ward, Edward!"  He  wound  up  his  kite  string  quickly 
and  ran  into  the  house. 

Such  a  surprise  Mother  had  for  him!  " Father  and  I 
think  you  are  big^enough  to  go  to  the  village,"  said  Mother, 
"to  get  the  corn  meal  to  make  into  a  cake  for  baby's  break- 
fast. Would  you  like  to  go?" 

Would  he  like  to  go!  He  could  hardly  wait  to  have  his 
hair  brushed  and  his  tie  straightened,  he  was  so  anxious  to 
start. 

"Be  sure  to  take  the  five  o'clock  car  so  you'll  be  home 
in  time  for  supper,  and  take  good  care  of  Allan,"  said 
Mother  as  she  helped  them  on  the  electric  car,  for  Allan, 

101 


102     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Edward's  little  brother,  who  was  just  five  years  old  that 
day,  was  going  too,  —  a  birthday  ride! 

It  was  a  beautiful  ride,  through  the  open  fields  and  shady 
green  woods,  and  all  too  soon  they  came  to  the  village. 
Edward  knew  where  to  leave  the  car,  for  he  had  been  there 
before  with  his  father,  so  he  helped  Allan  to  step  from  the 
car,  and  holding  the  basket  between  them,  they  went  to 
the  field  where  the  farmer  was  at  work. 

"Can  we  buy  some  corn  meal  to  make  a  cake  for  baby?" 
said  Edward. 

"I  have  no  meal,"  said  the  farmer,  "but  you  may  have 
some  yellow  corn  which  the  miller  will  grind  into  meal 
for  you." 

So  the  basket  was  filled  with  yellow  corn  and  the  farmer 
told  them  where  to  find  the  miller.  The  children  thanked 
the  farmer  and  carrying  the  basket  carefully,  went  down 
the  hill  to  the  mill. 

"What  is  this?"  said  the  miller  as  he  saw  the  two  boys 
coming  through  his  gate  with  their  carefully  guarded  basket. 

"Will  you  please  grind  this  corn  so  the  baby  can  have 
a  cake  for  breakfast?"  said  Edward. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  the  miller,  "if  the  wind  will  blow  and 
turn  my  mill,"  and  Edward  wondered  just  how  the  wind 
could  help  to  turn  the  mill.  He  watched  the  miller  as  he 
set  the  fans  of  the  windmill  to  catch  the  wind,  and  before 
he  knew  it,  the  busy  windmill  was  turning  the  stones,  and 
the  corn  was  ground  into  meal. 

"Thank  you,  miller,"  said  Edward,  "and  thank  the 
good  wind,  too,  for  helping  to  grind  the  corn  for  baby's 
cake."  Then  the  children  started  for  the  car.  When  they 
reached  the  car  line,  the  five  o'clock  car  had  gone  and  two 
little  boys  were  nearly  three  miles  from  home,  with  no  car 
coming  for  two  hours!  That  would  be  long  after  supper 
time,  and  it  would  be  quite  dark. 


HOW  THE  MOON  HELPED  103 

Mother  had  said  to  come  on  the  five  o'clock  car  and 
would  expect  them  before  dark.  What  should  they  do? 

"I  know,"  said  Edward:  " we're  big  boys  and  the  basket 
is  small;  we'll  walk."  So  away  they  went,  following  the 
car-track  as  it  wound  its  way  through  the  village  streets, 
then  on  through  the  open  fields  until  it  turned  to  go  into 
the  woods.  Edward  remembered  that  there  was  a  shorter 
way  across  the  fields  to  his  home  which  he  had  walked 
one  day  with  his  father,  so  he  led  the  way  and  Allan  fol- 
lowed, for  the  path  was  narrow  and  hard  to  find. 

After  a  time  they  came  to  the  woods,  which  seemed 
very  dark  after  the  light  of  the  open  fields.  Even  Edward, 
who  was  eight  years  old,  began  to  wish  that  he  was  safe 
in  his  own  home;  but  he  remembered  that  there  was  a 
tall  dark  wood  near  his  house,  and  he  tried  to  cheer  Allan 
as  they  walked  along. 

"We  must  be  nearly  home,"  said  he,  "for  don't  you 
remember  the  tall  trees  back  of  our  house?  And  you  re- 
member, too,  there  was  blue  sky  above  our  trees  just  like 
this,  don't  you,  and  gray  squirrels  running  around  on  the 
branches  just  as  these  squirrels  are  running  about?"  Yes, 
Allan  did  remember  all  of  these  things  and  went  along 
quite  contented  expecting  to  see  his  home  through  the 
trees  any  minute. 

They  had  walked  for  some  tune  when  suddenly  Allan 
ran  forward  and  grasped  Edward's  hand.  "Oh,  Edward," 
he  cried,  "our  blue  sky!  it's  gone!" 

Edward  stopped  and  looked  through  the  tree  tops;  only 
gray  sky  was  in  sight,  and  that  was  very  dark.  "And  our 
gray  squirrels  have  gone,  too.  And  I  am  so  tired,"  sobbed 
Allan.  Edward  swallowed  a  big  lump  hi  his  throat,  for  he 
knew  that  he  had  lost  his  way  and  that  it  would  soon  be 
too  dark  to  see  anything.  Mother  had  trusted  him  to 
take  care  of  Allan,  who  was  a  little  boy  and  had  never 


104     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

walked  so  far  before.  They  must  rest  for  a  few  minutes, 
at  least,  so  they  sat  down  on  a  big  flat  rock.  "Let's  wait 
here,"  said  Allan,  "till  Father  comes  with  his  lantern." 

In  a  few  minutes  Allan  was  sound  asleep,  but  the  big 
brother  sat  very  straight  and  still,  with  his  eyes  wide  open. 
"I'm  not  afraid,"  said  he  to  himself;  "I  know  we  are  near 
home  and  that  Father  will  find  us  when  he  comes  from 
his  work,  but  I  do  wish  it  wasn't  quite  so  dark!"  Soon 
the  wind  began  to  blow  in  the  tree  tops,  and  he  noticed 
that  it  seemed  to  be  lighter,  when  suddenly  the  branches 
parted  and  there  was  the  great  round  moon  and  a  path 
shining  and  bright  with  the  moonlight! 

"Oh,  Allan,  the  moon!"  called  Edward  joyously,  "the 
moon  will  show  us  the  way!"  And  when  Allan  opened  his 
eyes,  there  was  the  moon  shining  clear  and  still  through 
the  branches  of  the  trees. 

' '  My  moon !  It's  my  own  moon ! ' '  said  Allan  as  he  j  umped 
up  and  clapped  his  hands,  "I  saw  it  from  my  window  last 
night."  And  the  two  boys  picked  up  their  basket  and 
pushed  their  way  through  the  trees  to  the  open  field  beyond. 

Yes,  it  was  their  field;  the  very  place  where  they  had 
been  playing  with  their  kites  in  the  early  afternoon,  and 
there  was  Mother  standing  at  the  door  and  Father  coming 
down  the  street  on  his  way  home  from  the  city. 

"Oh,  Mother,"  said  Allan,  as  he  ran  to  her  wide-open 
arms,  "we  were  lost  in  the  woods,  and  the  moon  found  us 
and  brought  us  home." 

"The  wind  helped,  too,"  said  Edward,  "for  it  opened 
the  trees  so  we  could  see  the  moon."  Then  they  told  Father 
and  Mother  all  about  the  journey,  and,  as  they  finished 
then*  story,  they  all  turned  and  looked  at  the  moon  as  it 
shone  hi  the  sky.  Clear  and  steady  was  its  bright  light, 
and  together  they  said,  "Thank  you,  kind  moon,  friend  of 
little  children!" 


LESSON  19 
NATURE'S  BLANKET 


Hymn:    (Review.) 

Prayer:  For  the  glory  of  winter,  the  pure  snow  on  the  shrubs 
and  trees,  we  thank  Thee. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  branch  with  dry  oak  leaves,  or  a  live- 
oak  branch. 

Memory  Verse:  (The  words  of  the  prayer.) 

Handwork:  Teacher  cover  space  with  colored  paper.  Chil- 
dren cut  and  paste  snow-flakes,  or  tear  paper 
to  represent  snowy  hill,  and  paste. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

THE  browns  of  the  leaves,  the  bark,  the  leaf- joinings 
are  all  interesting.    Try  to  discover  if  any  one  knows 

the  name  and  if  he  knows  where  there  is  a  tree,  growing, 
of  this  kind.    See  how  the  edges  of  the  leaves  are  curled. 

Ask  what  the  wind  and  rain  do  to  the  leaves  of  trees  in 
the  fall;   if  the  leaves  are  all  blown  off  at  once;   what 
blanket  is  good  for;  what  forms  a  blanket  for  the  grass 
and  flowers  and  fallen  leaves?    The  snow  is  earth's  blanket. 
What  does  it  keep  warm? 


105 


NATURE'S  BLANKET 

UP  on  the  old  oak  tree  at  the  corner  of  the  lane  a  little 
leaf  still  clung.    He  was  very  tiny,  very  brown  and 
very  wrinkled;   but  he  still  kept  a  tight  hold  on  the  stiff 
old  branch  where  he  had  lived  all  his  life. 

"Ugh!"  he  said,  as  he  shivered  and  clung  still  closer, 
"it's  going  to  rain  again,  I'm  sure  I  felt  a  drop  just  then." 

But  it  was  not  a  drop  of  rain,  but  a  soft,  cold  something 
else  which  nestled  wetly  down  among  the  little  brown 
wrinkles.  The  leaf  stirred  slightly  and  shivered  again. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  a  sweet  voice. 

"I'm  very  cold,"  said  the  leaf. 

"Are  you?  What  makes  you  cold?"  asked  the  little 
voice. 

"I  think  it  is  —  you,"  the  land  little  leaf  answered  slowly, 
dreading  lest  he  hurt  some  one's  feelings. 

"Oh,  no,  I'm  sure  it  is  not  I,  because  I'm  not  cold;  and 
if  I  made  you  cold,  I  should  be  cold,  too,  shouldn't  I?" 

"I  suppose  you  would,"  said  the  leaf  thoughtfully; 
"but,  anyway,  I'm  not  warm  as  I  am  in  summer  time; 
I'm  lonesome,  too,  up  here  alone,  —  that  is,  I  am  when 
you  are  not  here,"  he  added  politely.  "Who  are  you?" 

"I  am  a  snow-flake.  Tell  me,  what  is  summer?  I  never 
heard  about  it." 

"It's  a  very  nice  time,"  said  the  leaf,  hugging  the  old 
tree  and  drawing  his  tight  edges  closer.  "It's  the  tune 
when  you  are  green  and  soft  and  warm,"  he  added  with  a 
sigh. 

"I  don't  believe  we  have  it  up  where  I  live,  then,"  said 
the  snow-flake,  "for  I  never  remember  being  green." 

106 


NATURE'S  BLANKET  107 

"It  is  very  pleasant  in  summer,"  continued  the  leaf. 
"I  am  never  alone,  for  the  tree  is  full  of  leaves;  but  they 
have  fallen  off  one  at  a  time,  until  only  I  am  left.  Every 
time  the  wind  blows  I  expect  to  go,  too." 

"I  should  think  you'd  want  to  go,"  answered  the  snow- 
flake,  "for  then  you  will  be  with  all  the  other  leaves." 

"Where  would  that  place  be?"  said  the  leaf  with  more 
interest. 

"Oh,  right  down  on  the  ground,  where  you  will  grow 
smaller  and  smaller  until  you  sink  underneath  where  the 
new  grass  is  sleeping,  and  where  the  violets  are  getting 
ready  to  sprout  when  the  warm  sun  tells  them  to  push 
their  little  folded  leaves  up  through  the  warm  earth." 

"Is  it  nice  down  there?"  asked  the  leaf. 

"Oh,  yes,  very  nice,  it  isn't  a  bit  lonely,  and  it  is  nice 
and  sweet  and  warm;  lots  of  little  worms  and  roots  and 
seeds  are  there,  —  and  I  shall  be  there,  too!"  the  snowflake 
answered. 

"You  there!"  exclaimed  the  leaf;  "why,  you  will  make 
me  cold." 

"Oh,  no,  millions  and  millions  of  us  will  be  there,  piled 
over  you  and  all  the  little  roots  and  seeds,  and  we  shall 
make  such  a  beautiful  soft  blanket  for  you  that  you  will 
sleep  and  be  much  warmer  than  on  the  tree." 

Then  a  little  gust  of  wind  came  and  took  the  leaf  down, 
just  as  the  snow-flake  had  said,  down  among  the  other 
leaves  curled  tight;  and  following  after  the  leaf,  went  the 
little  snow-flake  whispering,  "I  am  sent  to  keep  you  warm. 
We  are  all  here,  my  brothers  and  I.  Go  to  sleep.  We 
will  keep  you." 

In  the  morning,  about  the  trunk  of  the  oak  tree  and  all 
over  the  ground  was  a  thick  blanket  of  snow,  and  far  down 
underneath  it,  sleeping  and  waiting  for  the  message,  the 
little  grass  roots  and  folded  leaves  were  safe  and  warm. 


LESSON  20 
THE   CHILDREN   OF  LIGHT 


Hymn:  "  God  of  the  Light."    (Page  216) 

Prayer:   (Use  the  one  in  Lesson  7.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  branch  of  a  pine  tree. 

Memory  Verse:   God  is  light;   in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all. 

Handwork:    Trace  outline  of  squirrel. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

rTlHE  branch  of  pine  suggested  shows  by  its  beautiful 
X    dark  color   that   many   trees   of   this   kind   growing 
close  together  will  make  a  dark  forest.    Bring  this  out  by 
questions. 

Ask  about  little  animals  that  live  hi  the  forest;  if  any 
one  has  heard  birds  singing  very  early  hi  the  morning;  if 
the  children  can  think  what  wakens  them;  whether  it  is 
pleasanter  to  stay  hi  dark  or  in  light  places.  Ask  what  the 
sun  brings  besides  light;  how  we  feel  when  the  sun  does 
not  shine  for  several  days;  who  it  is  that  sends  light  and 
darkness,  warmth  and  cold. 


108 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  LIGHT 

BY  ANNIE  E.  POUSLAND 

SHINING  EYES  was  a  little  Indian  boy,  and  he  was 
walking  all  alone  in  the  deep,  dark  woods.  All  day 
long  he  had  been  walking,  for  his  mother  had  sent  him  to 
another  Indian  village  to  bring  her  a  skin  to  dress,  and 
now,  with  the  skin  over  his  shoulder,  he  was  going  home. 

"I'll  just  rest  here  for  a  minute,"  he  thought,  stretching 
himself  under  a  tall  pine  tree,  "and  perhaps  a  bear  will 
come  along,  and  if  he  does  I'll  shoot  him  with  my  bow  and 
arrow  —  and  then  I'll  drag  him  home,  and  Mother  will 
be  glad  to  have  the  meat  for  supper,  and  Father  will  be 
so  proud  —  but,  if  it's  a  little  bear,  I  won't  shoot  him  —  I'll 
catch  him  and  take  him  home  for  my  own  bear  —  and 
tame  him  and  —  then  —  I'll — "  but  then  Shining  Eyes 
was  fast  asleep  under  the  tall  pine  tree. 

After  a  while  he  awoke.  Oh,  how  dark  it  was!  Where 
was  he?  Where  was  the  campfire?  It  was  always  kept 
burning  all  night  before  his  bed.  Oh,  how  black,  black 
it  was  all  about  him!  And  he  beat  the  darkness  with  his 
hands  and  called  "Mother,  Mother!"  but  no  one  answered 
him. 

Then  he  remembered  how  he  had  gone  to  sleep  under 
the  pine,  and  now  the  night  had  come.  Shining  Eyes  had 
never  been  alone  in  the  dark  before.  The  campfire  was 
always  burning  in  front  of  his  tent,  making  it  light  around 
the  camp,  and  his  mother  had  always  been  near.  So,  as 
he  was  only  a  little  boy,  he  began  to  cry. 

"Where  are  the  trees?"  he  cried.  "Where  is  the  sky? 
I  don't  like  it  all  black!" 

109 


110     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

" Hush-sh-sh,"  said  the  great  pine  tree,  "I  am  here. 
Put  out  your  hand  and  touch  me." 

"Oh,  so  you  are,"  said  Shining  Eyes,  clasping  his  little 
arms  around  the  tree  trunk.  "I'm  so  glad  you're  here, 
Father  Pine.  But  why  is  it  so  black?  I  don't  like  the 
dark.  Do  make  it  go  away,  quick." 

"Don't  cry,"  said  a  sharp  little  voice  close  by,  "and  don't 
be  afraid.  I'm  only  a  little  squirrel,  but  I  heard  you  tell- 
ing the  dark  to  go  away,  so  I  ran  right  over  to  tell  you  that 
the  dark  won't  hurt  you.  I  know,  for  every  night  I  run 
around  in  the  soft,  still  dark  while  I  wait  for  the  Children 
of  Light  to  come  and  drive  away  the  night." 

"Who  are  the  Children  of  Light?"  said  Shining  Eyes, 
"and  why  don't  they  come  now?"  But  the  little  squirrels 
said,  "Be  quiet,  little  brother,  and  let  me  cuddle  on  your 
shoulder,  for  you  make  a  good  resting  place  and  my  soft 
furry  coat  will  make  you  warm,  too."  And  the  little  furry 
squirrel  rolled  himself  up  in  a  soft,  warm  ball  and  cuddled 
down  on  Shining  Eyes'  shoulder,  and  Shining  Eyes  began 
to  feel  better. 

"When  the  Children  of  Light  ride  away  in  their  car  of 
gold,"  said  the  little  squirrel,  "the  dark  stillness  of  the 
night  comes  down  over  the  earth.  Then  it  is  that  every 
one  goes  to  sleep  and  rests  after  the  day's  work  is  done, 
and  the  Star  Children  and  the  big  round  Moon  shine  in 
the  dark  sky  and  watch  over  the  sleeping  children  until 
the  light  comes  back." 

"But,"  said  Shining  Eyes,  "I  want  it  to  come  now." 

"Hush  and  wait,"  said  the  squirrel,  "soon  they  will 
come.  Father  Pine  always  sees  them  first  and  whispers  a 
word  to  the  nearest  bird,  who  sings  the  story  to  all  the  little 
wood  people,  telling  them  to  awake,  for  day  has  come." 

"Oh,  Father  Pine,  do  you  see  them  coming?"  said  Shin- 
ing Eyes. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  LIGHT  111 

"No-oo-o,"  murmured  the  pine,  "not  yet.  Lie  still 
and  wait,  little  brother." 

So  Shining  Eyes  was  still  and  waited,  thankful  that  the 
little  squirrel  who  was  so  friendly  had  found  him.  He 
remembered,  too,  that  his  mother  would  expect  him  to  be 
brave  and  unafraid.  Had  she  not  told  him  that  the  Great 
Spirit  would  always  take  care  of  him? 

"Ah-h,"  said  the  pine  suddenly,  "the  Children  of  Light 
are  coming.  One  has  just  touched  my  topmost  branch 
with  his  finger  of  silver!" 

Just  then  a  bird  sang  soft  and  sweet;  then  another, 
and  another. 

"Oh,  listen!"  said  the  squirrel  softly.  "The  birds  always 
see  them  from  the  tree  tops,  and  sing  and  sing.  They  are 
so  glad  the  light  has  come  again." 

"But  I  don't  see  anything  yet,"  whispered  Shining  Eyes. 
"It  is  still  dark." 

"Wait,  wait,  little  brother,  the  pine  and  the  birds  always 
know  first,  and  their  song  says,  'They  are  coming!"  And 
sure  enough,  softly  and  slowly  the  light  came  down  between 
the  branches,  and  Shining  Eyes  could  see  the  gray  trunks 
standing  all  around  him. 

"Come,"  said  the  squirrel,  "come  to  the  edge  of  the 
woods  near  the  shore  of  the  lake  and  see  the  golden  car 
which  brings  the  Children  of  Light." 

So  Shining  Eyes,  with  the  squirrel  still  on  his  shoulder, 
crept  out  of  the  woods  and  stood  quietly  on  the  rocks  by 
the  shore  of  the  Great  Waters. 

"Oh,  see  the  pink  clouds!"  said  he.  "The  Children  of 
Light  must  be  touching  them  to  make  them  beautiful. 
But  look!  the  car  of  light!" 

Then,  up  out  of  the  sea  rose  a  golden  ball,  flashing  with 
golden  arrows,  that  touched  the  gray  waters  beneath  and 
made  a  twinkling,  sparkling  pathway  across  the  sea. 


112     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"Is  it  not  beautiful?"  said  the  squirrel.  "This  is  the 
way  the  Children  of  Light  come  to  make  the  world  bright 
and  warm  and  glad  again.  We  do  not  know  where  they 
come  from  nor  who  sends  them,  but  every  day  they  come 
to  light  up  our  dark  forest!" 

Then  Shining  Eyes  raised  his  arms  to  the  sky,  and  with 
face  radiant  with  light,  said:  "Now  I  know  who  it  is  who 
sends  the  darkness  and  the  light.  It  is  the  Great  Spirit 
who  rules  the  world.  Nevermore  will  I  fear!" 


FEBRUARY 


Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE  AND  SERVICE 

Theme  for  the  Month:  GOD'S  MESSAGE  IN  OUR  HEARTS 

THE  FEBRUARY  HUSH 

Snow  o'er  the  darkening  moorlands, — 

Flakes  fill  the  quiet  air; 
Drifts  in  the  forest  hollows, 

And  a  soft  mask  everywhere. 

The  nearest  twig  on  the  pine  tree 
Looks  blue  through  the  whitening  sky, 

And  the  clinging  beech-leaves  rustle 
Though  never  a  wind  goes  by. 

T.  W.  Higginson 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

E  voice  that  speaks  of  God's  love  through  nature 
_L  speaks  also  directly  to  each  one  telling  what  is  right 
or  wrong  to  do.  Encouraging,  comforting,  guiding,  leading, 
the  voice  is  waiting  to  speak  to  him  who  will  listen.  The 
answer  of  Theodore  Parker's  mother  to  her  child  is  the 
lesson  to  be  emphasized  during  the  month.  Let  the  lessons 
be  approached  with  confidence  in  the  still,  small  voice. 

The  music  for  the  month  may  be  "Vision,"  by  Rhein- 
berger  or  "Blumenthal." 


113 


LESSON  21 
THE  LISTENING   CHILD,   SAMUEL 

Hymn:    "The  Still,  Small,  Holy  Voice."    (Page  217) 
Prayer:   Open  our  ears  that  we  Thy  voice  may  hear. 
For  the  Nature  Talk:   Twigs  with  buds. 
Memory  Verse:    (The  words  of  the  prayer.) 
Handwork:    Color  border  around  picture. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 


space  on  page  2  of  the  leaflet  is  to  be  filled  by  a 


_  letter  written  to  the  home  by  the  teacher.  It  offers 
opportunity  to  send  a  personal  message  about  each  child 
in  his  connection  with  the  school. 

Find  twigs  with  large  buds  for  the  nature  talk.  Keep 
them  in  water  for  several  weeks  and  watch  the  growth. 

Recall  the  first  story  in  which  we  told  of  a  little  boy 
going  with  his  parents  to  the  temple.  Today's  story  is 
about  other  people  who  went  there  at  another  time;  about 
a  woman,  Hannah,  and  her  little  son,  Samuel.  Ask  the 
children  to  say  these  names.  In  describing  the  child's 
going  to  the  temple,  emphasize  the  mother's  joy  to  be 
able  to  give  her  son  to  help  in  God's  house.  Hearing  the 
voice  caused  no  fear.  The  emphasis  comes  on  listening 
to  the  voice  and  heeding  it. 


114 


THE  LISTENING  CHILD,  SAMUEL 


was  to  be  a  great  festival  in  the  country  of 
JL    Israel.     All  the  people  for  miles  around  were  going 
to  the  temple  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  His  great  good- 
ness, and  to  ask  of  Hun  the  dearest  wish  of  their  hearts. 

Fathers,  mothers  and  children,  —  every  one  went  and 
every  one  was  happy,  for  it  was  in  the  joyous  tune  of  the 
year,  when  the  birds  were  singing  their  sweetest  songs  and 
the  flowers  were  showing  their  brightest  colors. 

Hannah,  who  was  making  the  journey  with  her  husband, 
had  no  children  to  bring  with  her,  and  when  she  saw  the 
happy  little  people  playing  by  the  roadside  she  prayed 
with  her  whole  heart  that  God  would  give  her  a  son,  the 
most  precious  gift  she  desired. 

And  God  heard  Hannah's  prayer,  and  sent  her  a  son. 
Hannah  was  so  thankful  as  she  held  her  baby  in  her  arms 
that  she  said,  "As  long  as  he  liveth  he  shall  be  lent  to  the 
Lord,  and  his  name  shall  be  Samuel,  which  means  'asked 
of  God.'" 

As  the  days  and  months  went  on  Samuel  grew  sturdy 
and  strong.  When  he  was  old  enough  to  leave  his  home 
Hannah  took  him  to  the  temple,  for  she  had  promised  that 
he  should  be  given  to  the  Lord  as  long  as  he  lived,  and 
Eli,  the  high  priest,  had  need  of  a  little  boy  to  help  him 
take  care  of  the  temple. 

Hannah  loved  her  little  son  and  was  sorry  to  leave  him 
in  the  temple,  but  she  knew  he  would  be  taken  care  of  by 
Eli  and  that  he  would  learn  to  do  what  was  right.  Once 
a  year  she  went  to  the  temple  to  worship,  and  then  she 
brought  him  a  little  coat  which  she  had  made  with  her 

115 


116      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

own  hands,  and  told  him  many  things  about  his  home, 
his  father  and  his  brothers,  and  Samuel  learned  to  love 
his  people. 

Eli,  too,  loved  Samuel.  It  made  him  happy  to  have  a 
boy  near  who  was  ready  to  come  when  called  and  ready 
to  do  whatever  was  asked  of  him. 

All  day  long  Samuel  helped  Eli  to  take  care  of  the  beauti- 
ful temple.  He  learned  to  open  and  close  the  great  gate 
at  morning  and  night,  to  bring  the  oil  for  the  lamp  which 
burned  day  and  night  in  the  inner  temple,  and  at  night  he 
slept  quite  near  Eli  so  that  he  could  watch  the  light. 

Once  in  the  night  Samuel  seemed  to  hear  some  one  call, 
and  he  jumped  up  quickly  and  ran  to  Eli.  "Here  am  I," 
said  he.  And  Eli  said,  "I  did  not  call,  lie  down  again."  So 
Samuel  lay  down  to  sleep.  Again  he  heard  the  voice  and 
again  he  ran  to  Eli,  saying,  "Here  am  I!"  and  Eli  said,  "I 
called  you  not,  go  and  lie  down."  When  Samuel  came  to 
Eli  the  third  tune,  saying,  "Thou  surely  didst  call  me," 
Eli  said,  "It  must  be  the  voice  of  the  Lord.  If  He  calls 
again,  say,  'Speak,  Lord,  Thy  servant  heareth!" 
'  <  So  Samuel  listened,  and  when  the  voice  called  again,  he 
answered  as  Eli  had  said.  Then  the  voice  told  Samuel 
many  things  which  might  happen  to  the  Israelites  in  the 
days  to  come,  that  Eli's  sons,  who  were  wicked  men, 
would  never  be  chosen  to  take  care  of  the  temple,  for 
they  had  not  learned  to  take  care  of  themselves.  A  man, 
wise  and  good,  would  be  chosen  to  fill  Eli's  place. 

Samuel  waited  until  morning  came,  then  arose,  opened 
the  great  door,  trimmed  the  lamp  and  did  all  the  tasks 
which  had  been  assigned  to  him  as  Eli's  helper;  then  he 
went  to  Eli  and  told  him  all  that  the  voice  had  said  to  him 

» 

in  the  night. 


LESSON  22 
THE   STILL,   SMALL  VOICE 


Hymn:  "Lift  Thine  Eyes."    (Page  218) 

Prayers:  (The  one  learned  with  last  lesson. 
Closing  prayer  from  Lesson  2.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:   Cedar  or  juniper  branch. 
Memory  Verse:   (The  verse  for  the  month,  and  review.) 
Handwork:    Color  initials  of  text. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

NOTICE  the  berries  in  cedar  or  juniper  for  beauty  of 
color. 

Bring  out  the  point  that  any  one  knowing  a  place 
to  be  dangerous  would  go  away  from  it.  Ask  who  has 
heard  a  thunder-storm,  and  speak  of  the  difficulty  of 
hearing  in  such  a  great  noise;  if  any  one  has  been  on  a 
mountain  or  has  seen  one.  Describe  a  cave  to  the  children; 
ask  if  any  one  has  been  in  one.  Speak  of  the  darkness  and 
the  stillness  in  a  cave. 

Bring  out  the  thought  that  a  voice  speaks  in  the  heart, 
as  it  spoke  to  Samuel  and  to  Elijah  and  so  might  be  heard 
anywhere. 


117 


THE  STILL,  SMALL  VOICE 

ONCE  a  man  of  God  named  Elijah  was  hurrying  away 
from  the  place  where  he  lived,  as  fast  as  he  could  go. 
His  servant  was  with  him,  but  the  servant  could  hardly 
keep  up  with  his  master.  There  was  great  reason  for  this 
haste.  The  man  of  God  was  fleeing  for  his  life,  for  the 
queen  had  sent  a  messenger  saying  that  she  was  very  angry 
and  that  the  man  was  to  be  killed  by  the  next  day  because 
of  what  he  had  done.  Do  you  wonder  that  he  ran  away? 

So  the  master  and  servant  hurried  on,  not  stopping  until 
they  came  to  a  certain  town  where  they  waited  awhile  to 
rest.  And  here  the  tired  servant  remained,  but  not  his 
master.  He  pressed  on  alone  another  day's  journey,  and 
then  again  he  stopped. 

No  houses,  no  people  were  here.  Tired  and  hungry  and 
very  discouraged  he  lay  down  under  a  tree,  and  prayed 
to  God  that  he  might  die.  What  he  had  done  that  angered 
the  queen  seemed  to  him  right  to  do,  but  now  his  life  was 
in  danger  and  all  that  he  had  tried  to  do  had  amounted  to 
nothing. 

The  man  of  God  was  alone,  and  tired,  and  sad.  Presently 
he  fell  asleep;  but  he  did  not  die,  for  he  was  awakened  by 
a  voice  that  told  him  to  arise  and  eat  and  drink  and  be 
strong  to  go  on  still  farther,  to  the  mountain  of  God. 

This  was  a  long,  long  journey,  but  the  mountain  was  at 
last  reached  and  in  it  the  man  of  God  found  a  cave.  Here 
was  surely  a  safe  place  in  which  to  stay  and  no  one  would 
find  him.  While  he  was  resting  here,  he  still  felt  sad  and 
discouraged.  Here  hi  the  darkness  of  the  cave  he  remem- 
bered his  long  journey,  the  message  of  the  queen,  all  that 

118 


THE  STILL,  SMALL  VOICE  119 

he  had  tried  to  do  to  help  God's  people,  and  his  heart  grew 
very  heavy.  Only  God  could  help  him. 

Then  suddenly  something  frightful  happened.  A  fearful 
storm  arose.  A  great  and  strong  wind  tore  over  the  moun- 
tain. It  shrieked  and  whistled  and  broke  the  rocks  in 
pieces  and  hurled  them  down  the  sides  of  the  mountain 
with  a  great  crashing  sound.  Then  the  earth  shook  and 
while  everything  was  trembling,  roaring  peals  of  thunder 
echoed  over  the  mountain.  Then  sharp  flashes  of  lightning 
lighted  up  the  place,  and  trees  and  rocks  could  be  seen 
piled  up  one  over  the  other.  All  was  terrible  with  noise 
and  confusion  and  danger. 

As  suddenly  as  it  had  come,  the  storm  ceased.  Its  fury 
was  spent,  and  in  the  gentle  stillness  that  followed,  the 
man  of  God  heard  a  still,  small  voice. 

He  covered  his  face  with  his  mantle,  and  stepped  out  of 
the  cave,  and  listened.  "What  doest  thou  here,  Elijah?" 
asked  the  voice.  And  the  man  of  God  answered,  "They 
seek  my  life  to  take  it."  "Return  on  thy  way,"  said  the 
voice,  "thou  shalt  still  do  thy  work.  Thou  shalt  help  to 
choose  a  king  and  a  man  to  speak  for  God." 

And  the  man  of  God  went  down  the  mountain  and  back 
on  his  way  comforted  and  strong.  His  help  had  come  in 
the  still,  small  voice. 


LESSON  23 
WHAT  TOLD  HIM? 


Hymn:   "The  Still,  Small,  Holy  Voice."     (Page  217) 

Prayer:  We  thank  Thee  for  the  voice  in  our  hearts  that  shows 
us  the  way  in  which  we  should  go. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Pussy  willows,  or  red  or  yellow  twigs. 

Memory  Verse:  Kind  hearts  are  the  gardens, 
Kind  thoughts  are  the  roots, 
Kind  words  are  the  flowers, 
Kind  deeds  are  the  fruits. 

Handwork:  Color  tail-piece. 

Free  drawing  of  pussy  willow. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

LET  the  children  admire  the  beautiful  softness  and 
color  of  the  pussy  willows  or  of  the  twigs.  These 
may  have  been  gathered  and  kept  in  water  for  a  number 
of  days.  Ask  if  any  one  knows  where  the  willows  grow; 
who  has  played  on  the  edge  of  a  pond;  what  live  in  the 
waters  of  the  pond. 

Describe  the  little  creature  with  hard  spotted  shell  and 
ask  if  any  one  has  seen  a  turtle;  how  he  moves;  if  it  is 
fair  to  strike  such  a  creature. 


120 


WHAT  TOLD  HIM? 

WHEN  Theodore  Parker  was  a  little  boy  he  lived  on 
a  farm  in  Lexington.  One  fine  day  in  spring  when 
he  was  not  yet  four  years  old,  his  father  was  going  to  a 
distant  part  of  the  farm,  and  taking  Theodore  by  the 
hand  he  led  the  little  boy  along  with  him. 

The  father  had  to  remain  to  see  about  some  work  and 
Theodore  was  sent  home  alone.  On  the  way  he  passed  a 
little  pond-hole  in  the  field,  near  which  grew  a  bush  covered 
that  day  with  beautiful  red  flowers.  Theodore  went  over 
to  look  at  them.  There,  under  the  bush,  just  on  the  edge 
of  the  water,  where  the  warm  sun  would  shine  on  his  back, 
was  a  little  spotted  turtle. 

Theodore  had  a  stick  hi  his  hand,  and  he  quickly  lifted 
the  stick  to  strike  the  little  creature;  but  all  at  once  some- 
thing checked  the  small  arm,  and  a  voice  within  him  said, 
clear  and  loud,  "It  is  wrong!" 

The  child  was  so  astonished  that  he  held  the  uplifted 
stick  still  in  his  hand  for  an  instant,  then  his  arm  fell  to  his 
side  and  he  ran  home  to  his  mother. 

"What  was  it  that  told  me  it  was  wrong?"  said  Theodore 
to  his  mother  after  he  told  her  the  story.  His  mother 
wiped  a  tear  from  her  eye  with  her  apron  and  then  took 
her  boy  in  her  arms.  "Some  men  call  it  conscience,"  she 
said,  "but  I  like  to  call  it  the  voice  of  God  in  the  soul  of 
man.  If  you  listen  and  obey  it,  then  it  will  speak  clearer 
and  clearer  and  always  guide  you  right.  But  if  you  do 
not  listen,  or  if  you  disobey,  then  it  will  fade  out  little  by 
little  and  leave  you  in  the  dark  without  a  guide.  Your  life 
depends  on  your  heeding  this  little  voice." 

The  boy  listened  to  his  mother,  and  still  wondering  said, 
"I  know  now  what  told  me." 

121 


LESSON  24 
THE  WHITE   SOLDIER 


Hymn:   "Lead  Us,  Heavenly  Father."    (Page  219) 

Prayer:    (As  in  Lesson  23.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Alder,  or  any  buds  or  blooms. 

Memory  Verse:  The  words  of  the  prayer:  "We  thank  Thee 
for  Thy  voice  hi  our  hearts  that  shows  us 
the  way  hi  which  we  should  go." 

Handwork:  Color  border  of  picture. 

Paste  a  small  picture  of  Lincoln  on  tricolor  paper 
to  take  home. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

THE  beauty  of  whatever  is  brought  for  the  nature  talk 
is  always  the  chief  point  in  the  opening  talk. 
Explain  about  a  soldier's  monument,  what  it  is,  why  it 
is  built.    Ask  who  knows  of  one;   what  the  leader  has  to 
do  in  the  march;    why  one  rather  than  another  is  chosen 
to  lead  a  group.     Explain  that  the  one  who  is  chosen  to 
lead  must  first  learn  to  follow;  must  be  dependable.     The 
leader  who  is  kind  is  a  better  leader  and  will  have  willing 
followers.     How  the  one  who  is  leader  can  help;   whether 
it  is  better  to  be  kind  when  one  is  leader. 


122 


THE  WHITE  SOLDIER 

BY  ADELAIDE  NICHOLS 

TO  the  children  who  played  in  the  park  he  was  the 
"White  Soldier."  He  stood,  a  tall,  white  stone 
monument,  raised  above  their  heads  by  a  series  of  steps 
and  a  pedestal.  The  children  who  had  studied  American 
history  said  he  was  a  Civil  War  hero,  but  to  most  of  the 
little  people  he  was  just  the  "  White  Soldier." 

Frederika  Francioni  had  never  been  to  the  park  before. 
She  did  not  live  near  the  park;  she  lived  far  down  in  the 
Italian  quarter  of  the  city,  where  they  had  fire  escapes 
instead  of  piazzas  and  ash  cans  instead  of  hedges.  On 
May-day,  Frederika's  teacher,  Miss  Curtis,  brought  all 
the  kindergarten  children  to  the  park  for  a  May  party. 
They  came  in  an  open  car  all  the  way  across  the  city, 
and  they  wore  wreaths  of  paper  flowers  that  they  had 
made  in  the  kindergarten,  and  the  leaders  carried  banners 
of  rose-colored  paper  in  honor  of  May-day.  Frederika  was 
a  leader.  She  felt  very  proud  in  the  clean,  purple  calico 
dress  which  her  mother  had  just  made.  Her  wreath  was 
of  yellow  flowers,  Frederika's  own  choice  for  color.  When 
the  car  stopped,  she  swung  easily  down  from  the  end  seat 
and  stood  at  attention,  her  banner  flung  to  the  breeze, 
her  free  hand  motioning  the  descending  children  to  fall 
into  line  behind  her. 

With  much  scrambling  and  untangling  of  banners  and 
wreaths,  and  much  calling  for  lost  lunch  boxes,  the  line 
was  formed,  and  with  Frederika  at  the  head  of  the  girls 
and  Columbus  Gumboda  at  the  head  of  the  boys,  they 
entered  the  park  under  the  kind  eyes  of  the  White  Soldier. 

123 


124     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

They  looked  up  solemnly  as  they  approached.  Frederika's 
teacher  came  forward  and  called,  "Halt!"  The  flowery 
lines  paused,  and  at  Miss  Curtis's  signal  they  saluted  the 
White  Soldier,  just  as  they  had  saluted  the  flag  every 
morning  at  school.  Then  the  line  broke  and  the  children 
went  running  and  dancing  over  the  green  grass.  You  could 
see  by  the  glad  little  quirks  of  their  feet  that  the  green 
grass  was  an  unfamiliar  luxury. 

Miss  Curtis  saw  them  scatter  with  a  smile  of  dismay. 
It  was  a  great  responsibility  to  have  twenty  children  so 
far  from  home  for  a  whole  May-day.  She  called  Frederika. 

"Now,  Frederika,"  she  said,  "I  depend  on  you  to  see 
that  the  girls  behave  like  ladies  today.  They  can  play 
till  lunch  time  and  then  we'll  meet  under  this  tree  to  eat. 
Now  run  and  have  a  good  time,  and  remember,  you're  a 
leader!" 

"Yes,"  said  Frederika,  her  black  eyes  shining.  As  she 
turned  away  from  Miss  Curtis,  her  eye  fell  on  Louise  Cor- 
racio,  who  sat  under  a  tree,  stripping  the  shoes  and  stock- 
ings off  her  brown  legs.  Frederika  sped  toward  her. 

"Lou!"  she  screamed,  "you  ain't  no  lady.  You  don't 
ought  to  take  off  your  shoes  in  the  park."  Louise  looked 
up  through  her  locks  of  black  hair  and  grinned. 

"You  ain't  my  boss,"  she  said. 

"I  am,  too,  your  boss!"  shouted  Frederika.  "I'm  the 
leader,  and  Miss  Curtis  said  I  should  make  all  the  girls 
act  like  ladies,  and  ladies  keeps  their  shoes  on.  Put 
them  on." 

Louise  laughed  naughtily  and  called  to  Rita  Angelo, 
"Frederika  says  she's  my  boss."  Rita  came  swinging  up. 

"Oh,  you're  a  boss,  are  you?"  she  taunted.  Frederika 
stamped  her  foot.  "I'm  the  leader,"  she  maintained. 

"Well,  you  don't  boss  me  by  stamping  your  foot,"  cried 
Louise,  springing  up  and  rolling  her  stockings  into  a  ball. 


THE  WHITE  SOLDIER  125 

"I'll  tell  teacher,"  raged  Frederika. 

"Do,  if  you  dare!"  cried  Rita,  seizing  Louise's  hand 
and  dragging  her  off. 

"Mean  thing!"  shouted  the  leader  after  them.  But  left 
alone,  she  was  ashamed  to  tell  Miss  Curtis  how  she  had 
failed  in  leadership.  Across  the  grass  she  saw  Miss  Curtis 
gently  urging  Louise  to  put  on  her  shoes  and  stockings. 
Frederika's  heart  grew  yet  more  sore.  Miss  Curtis  was 
taking  charge  of  the  children  because  they  didn't  mind 
Frederika.  She  wanted  to  be  leader,  and  Miss  Curtis  was 
doing  all  the  work  instead  of  letting  her  do  it.  She  slunk 
away  behind  the  pedestal  of  the  White  Soldier.  The  little 
steps  attracted  her.  She  decided  to  climb  the  White 
Soldier.  When,  at  last,  she  pulled  herself  up  to  the  white 
marble  shoes  of  the  Soldier,  her  purple  dress  was  draggled, 
and  her  stocking  was  torn.  Her  wreath  had  fallen  off  and 
lay  like  a  tribute  at  the  foot  of  the  pedestal.  She  sank 
down  wearily  at  the  Soldier's  feet  and  leaned  against  his 
legs,  watching  scornfully  the  ring  of  children  playing  on 
the  grass  below.  Then'  song  sounded  very  far  away;  the 
sun  on  the  white  stone  dazzled  her.  She  seemed  to  feel 
him  move  a  little  behind  her,  and  looking  up  she  saw  the 
Soldier  shifting  his  gun  into  his  left  hand  so  that  he  might 
lay  his  right  hand  on  Frederika's  head.  Frederika  did 
not  seem  surprised.  She  smiled  up  at  him  enviously.  "I 
wish  I  had  your  gun,"  she  said. 

"Why?"  asked  the  Soldier,  leaning  toward  her,  curiously. 

"So  I  could  shoot  Louise  and  Rita  for  not  minding  the 
leader." 

"Who  is  the  leader?"  said  the  Soldier,  and  his  voice 
was  very  deep  and  interested. 

"I  am,"  said  Frederika,  throwing  out  her  chest. 

"What  did  you  do  to  make  them  mind?" 

"I  stamped  at  them  and  I  despised  at  them,  but"  — 


126     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

a  lump  came  into  her  throat  —  "they  didn't  care  what 
I  did." 

"I  guess  you're  not  a  very  good  leader,"  said  the  Soldier 
quietly.  "Now  my  leader  was  very,  very  different." 

"Prettier?"  asked  Frederika. 

The  White  Soldier  laughed.  "He  wasn't  pretty  at  all. 
He  was  a  man  not  very  young.  He  was  tall  and  awkward, 
and  wore  clothes  that  wrinkled.  His  hair  was  never  very 
smooth,  but  his  face,  when  you  learned  to  know  it,  was 
the  face  of  the  greatest  leader  in  the  world." 

"Did  they  mind  him?"  asked  Frederika. 

"In  the  end  they  always  did." 

"What'd  he  do  to  'em?"  Frederika's  voice  was  eager. 

"He  never  worried  when  they  said  unkind  things  about 
him,  and  he  never  talked  back."  The  little  girl  at  his 
feet  hung  her  head,  remembering  her  quarrel  with  Rita. 
"He  did  not  win  obedience  by  force,  but  by  kindness.  He 
was  not  discouraged  when  he  failed,  and  when  people  dis- 
obeyed him  once,  he  always  gave  them  another  chance." 

"Who  was  your  leader?"  said  Frederika  in  a  low  voice. 

"The  greatest  of  Americans." 

"I'm  an  American,"  said  Frederika,  proudly. 

The  White  Soldier  looked  down  at  her  brown  skin  and 
her  shining  black  pigtail  and  smiled.  "I'm  glad  you're 
an  American,"  he  said,  "and  you're  a  leader,  too?  Well, 
you  couldn't  have  a  better  model  for  an  American  leader 
than  mine  was." 

"Is  he  dead?"  asked  Frederika. 

"He  lived  long  ago,"  said  the  White  Soldier,  "when  they 
freed  the  slaves." 

In  Frederika's  face  dawned  a  new  light.  "Why,  your 
leader  was  Abraham  Lincoln!"  she  cried. 

"He  is!"  said  the  Soldier,  and  with  his  white  hand  he 
took  off  his  white  hat  and  stood  with  his  head  bowed. 


THE  WHITE  SOLDIER  127 

Frederika  bowed  her  head  too.  When  she  looked  up,  the 
Soldier  had  his  hat  on  again  and  his  gun  was  back  in  his 
right  hand. 

"Oh!  how  I  wish  I  had  your  gun!"  breathed  Frederika. 

"Why?"  asked  the  Soldier,  and  his  voice  sounded  wor- 
ried, as  though  he  feared  she  hadn't  learned  her  lesson 
even  yet. 

"So  I  could  give  it  to  Rita  Angelo,  —  for  a  forgive 
present."  The  Soldier  did  not  answer,  but  as  Frederika 
looked  up  into  his  still,  white  face,  she  thought  she  saw 
him  smiling. 

Only  yesterday  when  I  saluted  the  White  Soldier  as  I 
passed  through  the  park,  I  saw  the  smile  still  on  his  face, 
and  I  knew  he  was  remembering  the  little  girl  who  had 
learned  to  be  a  leader. 


MARCH 

Theme  for  the  Year:   LOVE    AND    SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:   NEW    LIFE  — NEW    LOVE 

Our  life  is  a  gift,  and  the  Giver 

Can  withhold  himself  from  none; 
The  fount  gives  itself  to  the  river,  — 

The  fount  and  the  stream  are  one. 

Charles  Gordon  Ames 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

E  awakening  of  new  life  in  the  world  brings  with 
J_  it  new  gladness,  new  love  in  our  hearts.  No  effort 
has  been  made  to  connect  the  thought  of  immortality  and 
of  the  resurrection  as  usually  conceived  with  this  season, 
but  rather  to  emphasize  the  returning  life  and  gladness 
in  the  world  and  the  renewed  love  and  joy  in  the  heart. 
These  are  eternal  and  immortal. 

Music  for  the  month  may  be  "Spring  Song"  by  Men- 
delssohn, or  "Hamburg,"  number  37  in  the  Hymn  and 
Tune  Book. 


129 


LESSON  25 
SPRING'S  BIRTHDAY  PRESENTS 

Hymn:   "With  Happy  Voices  Ringing."     (Page  220) 

Prayer:  Praise  Thee  for  brother  wind,  for  air  and  clouds,  for 
storm  and  fair  weather. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Crocuses,  snow-drops,  or  arbutus. 
Memory  Verse:    (The  prayer.) 

Handwork:  Color  border  and  initials  of  text.    Free  drawing 
of  grass  and  flowers. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

NOTICE  the  delicate,  beautiful  color  and  fragrance  of 
the  spring  blooms.    Ask  the  children  to  bring  others 
on  succeeding  Sundays. 

Ask  about  the  season  that  is  just  passed  and  what  sea- 
son is  soon  coming.  What  is  growing  under  the  dead 
leaves?  Refer  to  lesson  on  "Nature's  Blanket."  Show 
the  short  stems  of  crocus  or  snow  drops.  Explain  that  the 
earliest  spring  flowers  bloom  close  to  the  ground.  Speak 
of  the  sweet  odors  of  flowers  which  the  wind  brings,  their 
message  to  tell  us  that  they  have  bloomed  and  have  come 
to  make  us  glad.  In  the  free  drawing  use  crayola  to  repre- 
sent the  brown  earth  and  tiny  spots  of  color  for  the  spring 
flowers. 


130 


SPRING'S  BIRTHDAY  PRESENTS 

BY  ADELAIDE  NICHOLS 

TO  Anne  winter  was  the  season  when  you  had  a  snow 
fort,  spring  was  the  season  when  you  jumped  rope, 
and  summer  was  the  season  when  you  went  to  the  sea- 
shore. Of  these,  spring  was  the  shortest  and  most  insig- 
nificant. There  seemed  little  time  between  the  melting 
of  the  last  dirty  ring  of  snow  where  the  fort  had  been  and 
the  packing  of  trunks  for  vacation.  Somewhere  between 
times,  she  knew,  the  flowers  came  out  and  the  trees  grew 
mysteriously  green  overhead.  The  gardeners  raked  last 
autumn's  leaves  away,  the  dear  little  crocuses  appeared 
and  the  grass  grew  green.  But  between  going  to  school 
and  jumping  rope  and  making  her  dolls  new  clothes,  Anne 
did  not  have  much  time  to  notice  these  things. 

In  the  spring  when  Anne  was  eight,  she  went  to  the  coun- 
try for  her  Easter  vacation.  In  the  country  lived  her 
grandmother  with  Anne's  youngest  aunt,  who  they  said 
was  not  strong  enough  to  live  in  the  city.  Anne  loved  her 
youngest  aunt,  for  she  was  almost  as  little  as  a  little  girl 
and  very  pretty,  with  a  pale  face  and  blue  eyes  and  brown, 
blowing  hair.  Also,  she  was,  for  a  grown-up,  very  good 
at  pretending. 

When  Anne's  train  got  to  the  station  and  Anne  was 
jumped  down  from  the  platform  by  the  jovial  conductor, 
the  first  thing  she  saw  was  Aunt  'Livia.  She  was  standing 
on  the  platform  all  wrapped  up  in  a  brown  cloak  with  a 
pointed  hood.  Her  eyes  simply  danced  at  sight  of  Anne. 

131 


132      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"Hello,  Aunt  'Livia!"  cried  Anne.  Then  she  looked  up 
shyly.  "You  look  just  —  just  like  my  fairy  godmother," 
she  said.  Aunt  'Livia  pulled  her  hood  farther  down  over 
her  eyes  and  laughed. 

"Ssh!"  she  said,  shaking  Anne  a  little  by  the  shoulder. 
"I  am  your  fairy  godmother  in  disguise.  Follow  me." 

She  picked  up  Anne's  bag  and  turned  away.  Anne 
couldn't  quite  tell  whether  she  was  joking  or  not. 

They  said  not  a  word  passing  through  the  town,  but  when 
they  turned  out  into  the  wood  road,  Aunt  'Livia  stopped 
and  pushed  back  her  hood  a  little  and  made  a  little  sniffing 
with  her  nose. 

"Doesn't  it  smell  nice?"  she  said. 

"What?"  said  Anne. 

"Don't  you  smell  it?"  said  Aunt  'Livia. 

"I  don't  smell  anything,"  said  Anne. 

Aunt  'Livia  looked  surprised.  "Dear,  dear,  you  do 
need  a  fairy  godmother!  Let  me  give  you  a  charm  for 
your  nose."  She  picked  a  little  curled-up  leaf  and  rubbed 
it  over  Anne's  nose.  "Now  sniff,"  she  said. 

Anne  tried  to  sniff  like  Aunt  'Livia  and  she  smelled  a 
wonderful  smell,  like  nothing  she  had  ever  known  in  the 
city.  It  was  a  little  like  rain  on  clean  sidewalks  and  a 
little  like  a  new  box  of  flowers  from  the  florist,  but  besides 
these,  it  had  a  smell  of  sun  in  it. 

"What  makes  it?"  asked  Anne. 

"Oh,  just  spring!"  laughed  Aunt  'Livia. 

"I  never  knew  before  that  spring  had  that  smell." 

"Why,  poor  child,"  said  Aunt  'Livia,  "haven't  you  ever 
smelled  spring  coming?" 

"No." 

Aunt  'Livia  wagged  her  head  gravely.  "Well,  you  do 
need  a  fairy  godmother,"  she  said.  "It's  well  I  came  to 
the  station." 


SPRING'S  BIRTHDAY  PRESENTS  133 

Anne  hardly  heard  what  she  said,  she  was  sniffing  so 
hard,  taking  in  the  wonderful  smell  of  the  spring  woods. 
It  was  a  smell  you  could  never  seem  to  get  enough  of. 

"Where  does  the  spring  get  that  smell?"  she  said. 

"It  is  one  of  the  gifts  that  she  brings  the  world  hi  her 
golden  bag,"  she  said.  "Do  you  hear  anything?" 

"No,  it's  very  still,"  said  Anne,  who  was  used  to  the 
noisy  city. 

"Dear,  dear,  you  do  need  a  fairy  godmother,"  laughed 
Aunt  'Livia.  "Let  me  give  you  a  charm  for  your  ears." 
She  picked  another  curled-up  leaf  and  brushed  it  over 
Anne's  two  ears.  "Now  listen!"  said  Aunt  'Livia  and 
cocked  her  head  on  one  side.  Anne  cocked  her  head  the 
same  way  and  far  off  she  heard  a  thin,  shrill  singing  as  of 
fairy  pipes  blowing.  It  was  a  sound  that  was  as  strange 
and  yet  as  exciting  as  the  smell  of  the  woods. 

"What  makes  it?"  asked  Anne. 

"The  frogs  singing  their  good-night  songs  over  in  the 
marshes." 

"I  never  knew  frogs  sang!" 

"The  spring  makes  them." 

"How  does  she?" 

"Oh,  it's  one  of  the  gifts  she  brings  them  in  her  golden 


They  went  on  across  an  open  field  sprinkled  with  little 
wild  fruit  trees.  The  grass  was  just  turning  green  and 
there  were  patches  of  shiny  leaves  hi  little  mats  here  and 
there. 

"Do  you  smell  anything?"  asked  the  fairy  godmother- 
in-disguise.  Anne  sniffed. 

"Yes,  like  the  woods  and  honey,"  she  said. 

"You  are  learning  beautifully.  Now  look  down  and  tell 
me,  do  you  see  anything?" 

"Leaves?" 


134     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"Kneel  down."  Anne  knelt  down  and  peered  into  the 
shining  plot  of  leaves. 

"I  just  see  some  leaves,"  she  said. 

"Dear,  dear,  you  do  need  a  fairy  godmother,"  said  Aunt 
'Livia.  "Let  me  give  you  a  charm  for  your  eyes."  She 
took  one  of  the  shiny  leaves  and  brushed  it  across  Anne's 
two  eyes.  "Now  look!"  she  said,  and  began  to  push 
among  the  leaves  with  her  fingers.  Anne  pushed  the 
leaves  back  with  her  fingers,  too,  —  and  then  she  cried, 
"Oh!  o-oh!"  for  there  was  a  cluster  of  flowers  like  stars 
with  deep  cups  hi  the  centers,  dainty  and  crisp  and  pink 
at  the  tips. 

"How  did  they  grow  there?"  cried  Anne  who  had  only 
seen  flowers  in  a  florist's  window.  "How  did  they  get  in 
with  the  grass  and  leaves?" 

"The  spring  brought  them  for  a  present  in  her  golden 
bag,"  said  the  fairy  godmother-in-disguise. 

It  was  supper  tune  and  almost  dark  when  they  came  to 
the  gate  of  Grandmother's  path.  They  went  up  to  the 
door  in  the  blue  twilight.  On  each  side  of  the  front  door 
step  was  a  neat,  dark  bed  of  earth. 

"Oh,"  said  the  fairy  godmother-in-disguise,  "there  is 
something  in  the  beds  I  can't  wait  till  morning  to  show 
you.  It's  too  dark  to  see,  but  stoop  down.  Now  let  me 
take  your  hand.  Reach  out  right  here,  gently.  Now  can 
you  feel  anything?" 

"Only  something  cold  and  woolly  hi  the  dirt." 

"Can't  you  feel  what  it  is?"  The  fairy  godmother's 
voice  was  disappointed. 

"No,"  said  Anne. 

"Dear,  dear,  you  do  need  a  fairy  godmother!  Let  me 
give  you  a  charm  for  your  fingers."  She  lifted  Anne's 
fingertips  and  kissed  each  one.  "Now  run  your  fingers 
along,  so.  Touch."  Anne  touched  and  she  felt  a  little, 


SPRING'S  BIRTHDAY  PRESENTS  135 

soft,  curled-up  leaf,  like  baby's  fingers  in  a  very  furry 
mitten.  All  over  the  leaf  was  a  down  like  the  finest 
silk. 

"A  — a  little  leaf,"  faltered  Anne. 

"Baby  ferns  pushing  through,"  cried  the  fairy  godmother- 
in-disguise. 

"Where  do  they  come  from,  the  dear,  soft,  little — " 
Anne  was  stroking  one  gently. 

"Oh,"  laughed  the  fairy  godmother,  "the  spring  brings 
them  as  presents  in  her  golden  bag."  They  went  into  the 
house  and  there  were  Grandmother  and  supper. 

After  supper  Anne  sat  in  the  little  rocking  chair  that  had 
been  Aunt  'Livia's  and  looked  up  at  Aunt  'Livia  rocking 
hi  a  chair  that  was  only  a  trifle  bigger.  Through  the  open 
window  the  wind  brought  the  smell  of  spring  and  the  dis- 
tant cheeping  of  the  frogs  hi  the  marshes.  The  arbutus 
they  had  found  on  the  hill  was  pinned  to  Grandmother's 
dress.  Even  in  the  house  spring  seemed  to  have  spread 
out  her  presents. 

"For  whom  does  the  spring  bring  her  presents?"  asked 
Anne. 

"She  brings  them  for  you  and  for  all  of  us  —  who  can 
see  them." 

"Why  does  she  bring  them  to  us?" 

"Because  it  is  her  birthday."  To  Anne  this  made  it  all 
the  more  strange. 

"But  people  get  presents  on  their  birthdays.  They  don't 
give  them  away.  Why,  last  birthday  I — " 

"Yes,"  broke  in  Aunt  'Livia,  "people  do  get  presents, 
but  the  spring  thinks  it  more  delightful  to  celebrate  by 
giving  presents.  She  brings  them  in  her  great  golden  bag, 
embroidered  with  sun,  and  she  scatters  them  everywhere, 
so  that  all  the  world  will  be  glad  it  is  her  birthday.  Are 
you  glad?" 


136     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"As  glad  as  can  be,"  said  Anne.  "I  never  knew  about 
her  birthday  before.  Does  every  one?" 

"Some  people  live  in  the  city,  where  it  is  harder  to  see 
her  presents.  But  even  in  the  city  there  are  plenty  to 
see.  It  seems  that  many  people  don't  know  how  to  look. 
They  need  a  fairy  godmother." 

"In  disguise,"  added  Anne. 

"Fairy  godmothers  are  always  in  disguise.  You  never 
know  when  you  may  be  meeting  one.  But  when  you 
begin  to  get  wide  awake  and  really  see  and  hear  and  smell 
and  feel,  you  may  know  one  is  somewhere  near  you." 

Anne  rocked  and  thought  about  this.  Then  she  said  to 
Aunt  'Livia,  "There's  one  thing  I  wonder  about,  —  where 
does  the  spring  get  her  presents?" 

For  a  moment  the  fairy  godmother's  brow  puckered. 

"Doesn't  any  one  know?  I  thought,  maybe  — "  Anne's 
voice  sounded  disappointed. 

"Yes,  I  do  know,"  Aunt  'Livia  hastened  to  say.  "God 
gives  them  to  her  on  her  birthday  and  she  gives  them  away 
to  us." 

"Does  He  like  her  to?" 

"That  is  what  He  gives  them  to  her  for.  You'll  find  ever 
so  many  presents  every  day  that  you  are  here,  now  that 
your  nose  and  ears  and  eyes  and  fingers  are  awake." 

And  the  fairy  godmother  was  right. 


LESSON  26 
THE  AWAKENING 


Hymn:  "Waiting  to  Grow."     (Page  221) 

Prayer:  May  the  touch  of  the  Spirit  be  felt  in  the  hearts  of 
the  young. 

Charles  G.  Ames 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  sprouted  bulb. 

Memory  Verse :  Let  the  heavens  rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be 
glad. 

Handwork:  Model  a  bulb. 

Free  drawing  of  snow-drops.    Color  the  leaves. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

A  BULB  with  its  shiny  brown  coat  beautifully  snug 
and  smooth  will  furnish  material  for  the  talk  and  pre- 
pare for  the  story. 

Speak  of  planting  bulbs  in  the  ground  in  the  autumn; 
of  their  long  winter's  sleep.  Refer  again  to  Nature's 
Blanket.  Ask  for  names  of  spring  flowers  that  grow  from 
bulbs,  and  the  name  of  the  one  shown.  Refer  to  the 
little  bird  we  so  commonly  see  hopping  about  in  winter 
and  summer,  and  tell  the  story  of  the  sparrow  and  the 
bulb. 


137 


THE  AWAKENING 

IT  was  a  mild  December  morning;  the  sun  shone  brightly 
and  the  birds  hopped  about  merrily. 

"A  pretty  enough  little  place  this/'  said  a  young  sparrow 
to  himself  as  he  looked  into  the  garden.  Then  he  hopped 
about  in  search  of  something  to  eat.  Presently  he  came 
to  a  little  round  brown  ball  lying  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and 
gave  it  a  sharp  peck. 

"Oh!  please  don't!"  said  the  bulb  hi  an  imploring  tone. 

"Then  tell  me  what  you  are,  for  I  will  know,"  said  the 
sparrow,  pecking  at  it  again. 

"I  am  called  snow-drop,"  was  the  answer. 

"Well,  you're  a  queer  little  thing,"  said  the  sparrow. 

"I  may  not  be  as  ugly  as  I  look,"  said  the  bulb. 

"Not  so  ugly  as  you  look?  Well  done,  that  is  a  capital 
idea!  Ha,  ha!"  and  the  sparrow  stood  laughing  till  his 
feathers  shook. 

"It  is  quite  true,  I  assure  you,"  said  the  snow-drop. 

"Then  take  off  that  frightful  brown  cloak  and  let  me 
see  you,"  said  the  sparrow. 

"I  may  not,"  answered  the  bulb;   "I  must  wait." 

The  sparrow  could  not  resist  another  peck  at  the  old 
brown  coat. 

"When  will  you  get  rid  of  your  old  cloak?"  he  asked. 

"Oh,  by  and  by.    I  don't  know  exactly  when." 

"And  then  what  will  you  look  like,  may  I  ask?" 

"Oh,  I  shall  be  pure  and  white  and  stainless  like  the 
stainless  snow." 

"White!  a  little  white  ball  instead  of  a  brown  one?" 

138 


THE   AWAKENING  139 

"No,  no,  not  that,  ever  so  much  more  fair.  But  it  is 
of  no  use  to  ask  me,  for  I  cannot  say  what  I  shall  be." 

"Well,"  said  the  sparrow,  "you  don't  know  when,  and 
you  don't  know  what,  and  you  believe  all  that,  and  you 
are  going  to  wait  here  in  the  cold,  no  one  knows  how  long, 
till  this  astonishing  change  comes  to  pass!" 

"I  did  not  say  no  one  knows,"  answered  snow-drop 
quietly;  "and  I  am  not  to  wait  where  you  see  me.  I  shall 
be  hidden  down  in  the  earth  for  a  little  until  the  time 
comes,  and  then  —  then  you  will  see." 

And  here  the  snow-drop's  voice,  so  gentle  and  soft, 
rose  with  a  sound  of  joy  and  hope  that  floated  heaven- 
ward. There  was  something  in  that  tone  that  checked  the 
rude  laughter  of  the  sparrow,  so  he  hopped  away,  saying, 
"Well,  I'm  only  a  this-year  bird,  so  there  may  perhaps 
be  just  a  few  things  I  don't  know." 

"Crocus,  yellow  crocus,"  whispered  the  snow-drop, 
"you  will  wear  your  cloth  of  gold  by  and  by?" 

"Surely,  surely!"  was  the  answer,  and  the  trees  and 
plants  of  the  garden  took  up  the  reply  of  the  crocus,  sing- 
ing, "Surely,  surely." 

Then  the  snow  came  and  whitened  the  earth.  At  last 
one  morning,  our  little  friend  the  sparrow  came  hopping 
and  pecking  and  chirping  just  as  daintily  as  ever.  "Dear 
me!"  he  said  suddenly,  "this  reminds  me  of  something, 
ages  ago.  Oh!  now  I  remember.  It  was  here  I  met  the 
little  brown  coat  who  flattered  himself  there  was  some- 
thing grand  in  store  for  him." 

"Are  you  sure  that  little  brown  coat  was  wrong?"  asked 
a  voice,  and  the  sparrow  saw  a  delicate  white  flower  bend- 
ing meekly  upon  a  slender  stem. 

"I  don't  think  he  was  right,  certainly,"  answered  the 
sparrow. 

"What  has  become  of  your  friend?"  asked  the  flower. 


140     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"Oh,  sleeping  down  below  there,  or  crumbled  away  to 
nothing  by  this  tune,  I  dare  say." 

"Nay,  nay,  my  friend,  don't  you  know  my  voice?  I 
told  you  I  should  some  day  rise  up  white  and  fair  and 
stainless." 

"Snow-drop!  is  it  possible?"  was  all  the  astonished  little 
bird  could  say. 

"Yes,  yes,  you  saw  me  lie  down  hi  hope  and  trust.  I 
believed  the  awakening  would  come,  surely,  surely." 

And  a  soft  song  rang  from  the  silver  snow-drops  and 
the  crocuses,  a  song  of  joy  which  said,  "We  knew  the 
awakening  would  come,  surely,  surely!" 

From  Earth's  Many  Voices,  by 
MRS.  MABGABET  GATTY  (abridged). 


LESSON  27 
THE  LITTLE   SEED 


Hymn:  (Review  "With  Happy  Voices"  (p.  220)  and 
"Lead  us,  Heavenly  Father")  (p.  219). 

Prayer:    (As  in  last  lesson.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:   Sprouted  seeds. 

Memory  Verse:  In  the  heart  of  a  seed, 
Buried  deep,  so  deep, 
A  dear  little  plant 
Lay  fast  asleep. 

Handwork:  Color  the  crocus. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

BRING  seeds,  flax  or  radish,  that  have  sprouted  in  wet 
cotton  and  are  kept  wet  by  being  placed  over  a  dish 
of  water. 

Ask  what  is  needed  to  make  seeds  sprout;  who  sends 
rain  and  sun  to  make  them  grow.  Say  that  we  can  please 
the  good  Father  who  does  so  much  for  us  and  that  the 
story  tells  how. 


141 


THE  LITTLE  SEED 

BY  ANNIE  E.  POUSLAND 

FAR  down  in  the  earth  a  tiny  seed  was  sleeping, 
safely  wrapped  in  a  warm,  brown  jacket.  The  little 
seed  had  been  asleep  for  a  long,  long  time,  and  now  some- 
body thought  it  was  time  for  him  to  wake  up.  This  some- 
body was  an  earthworm  that  lived  close  by.  He  had  been 
creeping  about  and  found  that  all  the  seeds  in  the  neigh- 
borhood had  roused  themselves,  and  were  pushing  their 
roots  deep  down  into  the  earth,  and  lifting  their  heads,  up, 
up,  through  the  soil  into  the  bright  sunshine  and  fresh  air. 

So  when  the  worm  saw  this  little  seed  still  sleeping,  he 
cried:  "Oh,  you  lazy  fellow,  wake  up!  All  the  seeds  are 
awake  and  growing,  and  you  have  slept  long  enough." 

"But  how  can  I  grow  or  move  at  all  in  this  tight,  brown 
jacket?"  said  the  seed  in  a  drowsy  tone. 

"Why,  push  it  off.  That's  the  way  the  other  seeds  have 
done;  just  move  about  a  little  and  it  will  come  off." 

The  little  seed  tried,  but  the  tough  jacket  wouldn't 
break;  and  all  the  time  the  worm  was  telling  him  how 
happy  the  other  seeds  were,  now  that  they  had  lifted  their 
heads  into  the  sunshine. 

"Oh  dear,  oh  dear!"  said  the  seed,  "what  shall  I  do? 
I  can't  break  this  jacket,  and  I  shall  never  see  the  beautiful 
sunshine!  Besides,  I'm  so  sleepy  I  can't  keep  awake  any 
longer";  and  he  fell  asleep  again. 

"The  lazy  fellow,"  thought  the  earthworm;  "but  it  is 
strange  that  the  other  seeds  shed  then*  jackets  so  easily. 
Who  could  have  helped  them,  I  wonder?" 

142 


THE  LITTLE  SEED  143 

The  little  seed  slept  soundly  for  a  long  while,  but  at  last 
he  awoke,  and  found  his  jacket  soft  and  wet  instead  of  hard 
and  dry,  and  when  he  moved  about,  it  gave  way  entirely 
and  dropped  off. 

Then  he  felt  so  warm  and  happy  that  he  cried:  "I  really 
believe  I  am  going  to  grow  after  all.  Who  could  have 
helped  me  take  off  my  jacket?  And  who  woke  me,  I  won- 
der, for  I  don't  see  any  one  near  by." 

"I  woke  you,"  said  a  soft  voice  close  by.  "I'm  a  sun- 
beam, and  I  came  down  to  wake  you;  and  my  friends  the 
raindrops  moistened  your  jacket,  so  that  you  might  find  it 
ready  to  slip  off." 

"Oh,  thank  you,"  said  the  seed,  "you're  all  very  kind. 
Will  you  help  me  to  grow  into  a  plant,  too?" 

"Yes,"  said  the  sunbeam;  "I'll  come  as  often  as  I  can 
to  help  you,  and  the  raindrops  will  come,  too;  and  then, 
if  you  work  hard,  with  our  help  you  will  become  a  beauti- 
ful plant,  I'm  sure." 

"But,"  said  the  seed,  "how  did  you  know  that  I  was 
sleeping  here?  Could  you  see  me?' 

"No,"  said  the  sunbeam,  "but  my  Father  could.  He 
saw  you  far  beneath  the  earth  trying  to  grow,  and  called 
the  raindrops  to  him  and  said:  'One  of  my  seed  children 
is  sleeping  down  there,  and  he  wants  to  grow.  Go  down 
and  help  him,  and  tell  the  sunbeams  to  follow  you  and 
wake  the  seed,  so  that  he  may  begin  to  grow  as  soon  as 
he  will.1" 

"How  kind  he  is!"  said  the  seed.  "If  he  had  not  seen 
me  sleeping  here  I  should  have  always  been  a  brown  seed, 
I  suppose.  Who  is  your  kind  Father?" 

"He  is  your  Father,  too.  He  is  every  one's  Father,  and 
takes  care  of  everybody.  Nothing  could  live  without  him." 

"How  can  I  thank  him?"  said  the  seed.  "What  could 
I  do  that  would  please  him  very  much?" 


144     THE  LITTLE    CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"Grow  into  just  the  best  plant  that  you  possibly  can," 
said  the  sunbeam;  "that  will  please  him  most  of  all." 

So  the  seed  grew  into  a  beautiful  vine  that  climbed  higher 
and  higher,  towards  the  heavens,  from  which  the  Father 
smiled  down  upon  him  to  reward  his  labor. 

From  Half  a  Hundred  Stories.  Milton 
Bradley  Company.  Used  with  per- 
mission of  author  and  publisher. 


LESSON  28 
A  HAPPY  DAY 


Hymn:   "With  Happy  Voices  Ringing."    (Page  220) 

Prayer:   (The  one  given  in  Lesson  7.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  palm  leaf  or  plant. 

Memory  Verse:   Hosanna!   blessed  is  he  that  cometh  hi  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

Handwork:  Color  the  sketch  of  palm  leaves. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

NOTICE  the  beauty  of  the  long  slender  leaves  with 
their  strong  veins.  Ask  if  any  one  has  seen  palms 
growing  out  of  doors.  How  large  were  they?  Where  were 
they  growing? 

Refer  to  the  Story  of  Jesus  in  Lesson  I  and  recall  his 
pleasure  in  taking  the  journey.  Repeat  again  the  name  of 
the  city  to  which  he  went. 

Speak  of  the  ways  of  showing  happiness:  in  our  faces; 
in  our  voices,  and  by  what  we  do.  The  children  in  the 
story  showed  their  happiness  in  these  ways,  and  by  joyous 
singing. 

Ask  what  are  some  of  the  kinds  of  work  that  men  do. 
The  lesson  today  is  about  the  boy  Jesus  now  grown  to 
be  a  man,  and  about  the  work  he  did. 


145 


A  HAPPY  DAY 

T  T  THEN  Jesus  grew  to  be  a  man  he  did  not  live  with  his 
V  V  father  and  mother  any  longer.  Just  as  your  brother 
or  sister  or  some  one  in  your  family  goes  away  from  home 
to  do  his  work,  so  Jesus  went. 

His  work  was  teaching  people,  but  not  as  your  teacher 
teaches  you  hi  a  school  with  books.  Jesus  had  no  school 
and  no  books.  But  he  tried  to  show  people  how  to  listen 
to  the  still,  small  voice,  —  that  same  small  voice  that  the 
boy  Samuel  and  Elijah,  the  man  of  God,  and  Theodore 
Parker  heard.  He  knew  that  it  people  heard  the  voice 
they  would  be  happier. 

So  he  went  into  many  different  homes  talking  with  the 
families.  Sometimes  he  would  stay  over  night,  sometimes 
several  days.  Then  he  would  go  to  another  town  or  village. 

Many  people  listened  to  him.  Some  understood  what 
he  taught  but  many  did  not. 

Jesus  often  told  his  friends  stories  as  they  walked  along 
the  road  together  or  as  they  sat  down  by  the  wayside.  He 
told  them  of  the  birds  and  the  lilies,  and  about  the  sheep 
and  the  shepherd,  and  many  other  stories  which  they  liked 
to  hear. 

He  did  this  to  try  to  make  the  people  understand  what 
he  was  teaching  them.  He  wanted  them  to  be  kind  and 
loving,  and  good  friends  with  God. 

One  day  when  he  had  finished  talking,  Jesus  and  his 
friends  started  off  toward  a  large  city,  Jesus  going  on 
ahead.  When  he  was  twelve  years  old,  you  remember,  he 
went  with  his  father  and  mother  to  the  large  city  where 
the  temple  stood,  and  now  he  was  going  again  to  the  same 

146 


A  HAPPY  DAY  147 

place.  He  remembered  that  other  visit  and  how  glad  he 
had  been  then. 

So  these  friends  went  on  walking  slowly  and  talking 
together  and  resting  now  and  then.  At  last  they  came 
to  a  hill. 

"Go  over  into  the  village  yonder,"  said  Jesus,  "and 
untie  the  colt  you  see  there,  and  bring  him  to  me.  If 
any  one  asks  you  why  you  do  such  a  thing,  say  that  the 
master  has  need  of  him." 

The  two  men  did  as  they  were  told.  They  found  the 
colt,  and  as  they  were  untying  it,  the  owner  asked,  "Why 
are  you  taking  my  colt  away?" 

"Because  the  master  has  need  of  him,"  they  answered, 
and  the  owner  understood  and  said  no  more. 

When  they  reached  Jesus  they  placed  some  of  their 
garments  on  the  donkey's  back  and  seated  Jesus  upon  him 
that  he  might  ride  the  rest  of  the  way  into  the  city. 

You  know  that  if  any  one  is  riding  in  the  street  with 
people  walking  close  to  him  many  will  come  at  once  to 
see  what  it  is  all  about. 

So  it  was  this  day.  A  crowd  began  to  gather  and  when 
they  saw  who  was  riding  they  walked  .along,  too,  with  the 
rest.  Children  who  were  playing  looked  up  and  saw  in  the 
distance  all  the  people.  Some  told  their  mothers,  who 
came  running  to  see,  too. 

The  crowd  grew  larger  and  as  it  came  nearer  their 
voices  were  heard  singing.  And  what  do  you  think  they 
were  singing?  Just  happy  songs  of  praise  to  God,  for  they 
now  seemed  to  understand  Jesus,  and  to  be  so  glad  and  to 
love  him  so  much  that  they  had  to  sing.  And  the  chil- 
dren sang,  too. 

Some  one  in  the  company  said  to  Jesus  that  he  should 
stop  this  loud  singing;  but  he  would  not.  He  was  glad  to 
have  them  so  happy. 


148     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

So  as  they  walked  along  the  men  picked  branches  of 
palm  trees  that  they  could  reach  and  waved  them  high 
above  their  heads  and  sang  louder  and  clearer  their  songs 
of  praise.  Then  they  picked  more  branches  and  scattered 
them  along  in  the  road  and  even  threw  down  their  own 
garments  so  that  a  real  carpet  was  made  for  Jesus  to  ride 
over. 

What  a  joyous  procession  it  was!  Jesus  and  the  people 
had  never  been  so  happy  together  before.  The  city  was 
now  in  sight,  and  more  people  joined  them.  Some  sat 
up  hi  the  trees  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  Jesus  as  he  passed. 
And  the  crowd  moved  on  into  the  city  singing  as  they  went, 
"Hosanna!  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord." 

Do  you  think  this  was  a  happy  day  for  any  one?  What 
made  it  so? 


LESSON  28  (A) 
EASTER 


Hymn:  Consider  the  Lilies.     (Page  222) 

Prayer:  (As  in  Lesson  26.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Hyacinths  or  Lily,  flower  and  bulb. 

Memory  Verse:  He  maketh  all  things  new. 

Handwork:  Trace  Easter  lily. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

riHALK  of  the  bulbs  that  have  been  resting  all  winter  and 
J_  that  are  blooming  at  this  season.  Speak  of  the  fra- 
grance and  color  of  the  flowers  chosen  for  the  nature  talk 
and  of  the  joy  the  spring  flowers  bring.  If  it  is  possible  to 
provide  a  blossom  for  each  child  to  take  at  the  close  of  the 
lesson  there  will  be  added  pleasure. 

The  suggestions  for  the  month  of  March  explain  the 
thought  of  Easter  as  here  interpreted  for  children.  The 
emphasis  hi  the  story  lies  in  the  connection  of  the 
thought  of  life  and  love  with  renewal  and  growth. 

The  suggestion  of  immortality  is  hi  the  added  thought 
that  growth  and  life  are  unending. 

This  lesson  and  the  leaflet  with  it  are  to  be  used  on 
Easter  Sunday,  on  whatever  date  it  occurs. 


149 


AN  EASTER  STORY 

TT7HEN  John  Martin  was  six  years  old  he  climbed 
W  every  tree  he  could  find  to  climb.  One  day  he  went 
too  far  out  on  a  limb  of  the  apple  tree  and  fell  and  broke 
his  leg.  "Very  lucky  boy!  Very  lucky!"  said  the  doctor 
who  set  the  leg.  Of  course,  John  didn't  see  any  luck  about 
it;  but  the  doctor  did,  for  he  said,  "If  it  had  been  your 
knee  cap,  now,  you  would  have  had  a  much  longer  time 
in  bed,  for  that's  a  bad  break  to  mend.  As  it  is,  you'll 
be  about  again  in  five  or  six  weeks." 

That  didn't  sound  a  bit  comforting  to  John.  Six  weeks 
seemed  an  endless  time.  The  cast  on  his  leg  was  stiff  and 
heavy,  the  bed  became  hard  when  he  had  to  lie  in  one 
position  so  long.  Mother  had  to  tell  stories  or  play  games 
all  the  time  that  first  week  to  try  to  make  John  forget  his 
troubles. 

Little  Visitor  came  one  day  to  see  him;  but  John  was 
so  cross  she  had  to  go  away.  After  a  week  the  doctor  said, 
"Now,  John,  you're  doing  finely  and  I'm  going  to  have 
you  carried  out  on  the  sleeping  porch  to  stay.  That  will 
be  better,  won't  it?"  Of  course,  it  would  be  better.  Out- 
of-doors  is  better  than  in-doors  even  if  it  is  only  on  a 
sleeping  porch. 

So  John  was  carefully  carried  out,  and  there  by  the  side 
of  the  couch  on  a  little  table  were  some  of  the  games  John 
liked  to  play,  and  something  else:  a  box  —  a  new  box 
that  he  hadn't  seen  before.  What  could  be  in  it?  "It's 
for  you,  dear,"  said  Mother.  "Open  it,  and  see  if  you 
like  it."  John  quickly  unwrapped  the  box,  removed  the 
tissue  paper  and  there  looked  out  at  him  two  glass  eyes. 

150 


AN  EASTER  STORY  151 

They  were  not  of  a  doll,  no  indeed,  nor  of  a  toy  of  any 
kind.  John  put  his  hand  down  into  the  box  and  drew  up 
a  pair  of  glasses,  not  the  kind  you  place  on  your  nose  to 
help  you  see,  but  the  kind  you  hold  up  to  your  eyes  to 
make  all  things  look  much  nearer.  "A  pan*  of  field  glasses, 
or  bird  glasses,"  said  Mother.  "Look  away  across  the 
fields,  and  see  how  the  snow  is  softening  around  the  walls 
and  fences.  Easter  is  coming  soon,  you  know,  and  you 
will  like  to  watch  for  its  signs."  "But,"  said  John,  "I 
thought  Easter  was  a  Sunday.  What  do  you  mean,  Mother, 
by  its  signs?"  "We'll  watch  and  see,"  said  Mother. 

So  the  days  went  on.  Little  Visitor  came  often  now 
because  John  was  better  and  happier.  Mother  could  leave 
him  many  hours  at  a  time  and  be  sure  John  would  not  be 
lonely.  He  watched  the  snow  melt  and  run  into  the  brook; 
he  saw  the  brook  getting  fuller  and  flow  faster;  the  first 
little  green  blades  of  grass  he  discovered,  too,  with  his 
glasses,  and  each  day  he  told  his  mother  some  new  thing 
he  had  seen. 

At  last  one  morning,  the  next  day  after  the  cast  was 
taken  off  his  leg,  John  turned  in  bed  at  a  sound.  He  heard 
it  once,  —  yes,  again,  a  song,  clear  and  very  sweet.  John 
reached  for  the  glasses  and  through  them  he  saw  over  on 
a  bush  hi  a  far  meadow  a  little  spot  of  blue.  It  wasn't  the 
sky,  it  wasn't  a  flower.  What  do  you  think  it  could  have 
been?  As  John  watched  he  saw  that  the  song  he  had  heard 
came  from  this  blue.  Yes,  it  was!  A  bluebird!  And  John 
was  gladder  than  he  had  been  any  day  yet. 

When  Mother  came  with  his  breakfast,  John  said,  "I 
seem  to  be  getting  gladder  every  morning.  That  blue- 
bird is  so  splendid  he  makes  me  as  happy  as  anything. 
Does  the  spring  do  that  every  year?" 

"The  spring  does  make  us  glad,  dear.  We  love  every 
sign  of  it,  from  the  grass  to  the  bird  song.  And  when  we 


152      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

feel  so  glad  about  the  spring,  we  are  glad  about  people  too. 
We  seem  to  love  them  and  all  the  world  more.  And  that 
new  life  and  love  help  us  to  feel  that  life  and  love  are  eternal; 
and  that's  Easter,  John.  Do  you  think  you  understand?" 
John  thought  he  did. 

On  a  little  card  on  his  tray  on  Easter  morning  John 
read  "EASTER  MESSAGE"  and  under  a  picture  of  a  bluebird 
was  written,  "New  life  hi  the  world  —  New  love  in  our 
hearts!" 

"I  know  it!"  said  John. 


APRIL 

Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE    AND    SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE    THAT    PROTECTS 

So  many  gentle  friends  are  near 

Whom  one  can  scarcely  see, 
A  child  should  never  feel  a  fear, 

Wherever  he  may  be. 

Abbie  Farwell  Brown 

God  is  good;  He  wears  a  fold 

Of  heaven  and  earth  across  His  face  — 

Like  secrets  kept,  for  love,  untold. 

Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning 

SUGGESTIONS  FOB  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

E  lessons  for  April  are  about  "Love  that  Protects." 
J_  The  love  which  is  in  us  all  and  in  creatures,  the  love 
which  makes  homes,  which  is  grateful  and  glad  and  speaks 
in  the  still,  small  voice,  makes  us  care  for  and  protect 
others  and  crave  protection  for  ourselves.  This  natural 
craving  for  protection  is  satisfied  as  children  grow  to  feel 
that  the  Great  Love,  God,  guards  everybody  and  every- 
thing, sleeping  or  waking,  in  darkness  or  light. 

To  teach  that  God  is  in  all  and  that  his  protection  and 
care  are  very  real  and  very  sure  is  the  purpose  of  these 
lessons. 

Suggestions  for  music  for  April  are  "Minuet  in  G,  No. 
2,"  Beethoven;  "In  the  Vales  a  Murmur,"  Song  and 
Service  Book,  No.  179. 

153 


LESSON  29 
LITTLE  SWEET  PEA 


Hymn:  (Select  from  those  learned.  "With  Happy  Voices 
Ringing"  (p.  220),  "Something  Happy"  (p.  205) 
and  "Happiness"  (p.  206)  are  suggested.) 

Prayer:   (Prayer  in  Lesson  2.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Sweet  pea  blossoms. 

Memory  Verses:  I  only  know  I  cannot  drift 
Beyond  his  love  and  care. 

(Also,  beginning  of  Psalm  23.) 
Handwork:  Color  initials  of  Psalm. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 


FTIHE  beauty  and  sweetness  of  the  sweet  peas  speak  for 
JL    themselves.    Ask  the  name  of  the  flower  and  say  that 
a  little  girl  once  had  the  same  name. 

Ask  why  a  little  child  may  not  be  allowed  to  run  any- 
where she  may  choose  to  go;  what  house  pet  sometimes 
guards  the  house  or  the  children;  what  a  dog  will  do  if 
one  tries  to  harm  the  baby  he  is  watching.  Explain  about 
a  furrow  and  how  a  little  child  lying  hi  one  might  easily 
be  hidden  from  sight.  Bring  out  the  thought  that  we  are 
protected  and  watched  over  by  the  loving  Father. 


154 


LITTLE  SWEET  PEA 

ONE  day  little  Sweet  Pea  could  not  be  found.  What 
color  do  you  think  she  was,  —  a  little  pink  and  white 
sweet  pea  with  many  more  just  like  her?  No,  indeed!  If 
she  had  been  like  that  the  whole  family  would  not  have 
made  such  a  fuss  trying  to  find  her.  Sweet  Pea  was  just 
the  dearest  little  girl  that  you  ever  saw,  and  she  wore  a 
pink  dress  and  a  white  sunbonnet  and  she  had  pink  cheeks 
and  almost  white  hair,  so  she  was  like  a  sweet  pea,  you 
see,  and  that  is  why  they  called  her  so. 

But  where  was  she?  Upstairs  and  downstairs  they 
looked,  in  closets,  under  the  couch,  in  every  place  that  a 
tiny  girl  could  go.  But  there  was  no  sign  of  her  anywhere. 
Then  father  thought  of  Tige.  "Whistle  for  Tige,"  he 
said.  But  they  whistled  and  called,  "Here  Tige,  Tige, 
Tige!"  No  brown  dog  answered  or  appeared.  Everybody 
was  alarmed,  for  Sweet  Pea  was  so  very  little  that  she 
might  easily  get  hurt  and  not  be  able  to  come  back  home 
if  she  had  wandered  away. 

"I  will  search  in  all  the  buildings  and  in  all  the  fields," 
said  Father. 

So  first  he  went  to  the  shed  where  the  corn  was  kept 
which  Sweet  Pea  sometimes  threw  to  the  hens.  No  little 
girl  was  there.  Then  he  went  to  the  field  back  of  the  barn 
where  the  corn  was  growing.  Up  and  down  between  all 
the  rows  he  looked,  calling,  "Sweet  Pea,  Sweet  Pea,  where 
are  you?"  No  answer  came.  She  was  not  there. 

Then  to  the  long  ploughed  field  south  of  the  house  he 
went,  where  there  was  nothing  growing  and  where  he 
thought  he  could  see  the  little  girl  at  once  if  she  were  there. 

155 


156     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

First  he  looked  all  around  on  the  soft,  brown  earth  at 
the  edge  of  the  field,  and  there  hi  one  place  he  saw  some 
little  marks.  Footprints?  Yes,  and  right  beside  them 
were  other  marks  smaller  and  different.  They  were  almost 
round  and  had  five  little  hollows  hi  each.  Yes,  these  were 
Tige's  footprints. 

Father  walked  very  fast  now,  following  the  tracks  and 
keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground,  for  he  must  soon 
come  upon  the  two  he  was  seeking. 

Suddenly  almost  in  front  of  him  was  something  white. 
Little  Sweet  Pea?  No,  only  her  sunbonnet.  Father  picked 
it  up  and  hurried  on  and  a  few  steps  farther  he  found  a 
little  shoe.  But  where  was  the  little  girl?  What  had  hap- 
pened that  her  bonnet  and  shoe  were  away  down  here  hi 
the  middle  of  the  field,  and  her  footprints  and  Tige's 
going  this  way  and  that  as  though  they  were  chasing 
things?  On  he  went  and  soon  he  came  upon  her  lying 
down  hi  a  deep  furrow,  with  the  high  rolls  of  upturned 
earth  on  either  side  nearly  hiding  the  little  figure  of  Sweet 
Pea,  and  Tige  right  across  below  her  feet,  not  touching 
them  at  all,  but  just  as  close  as  he  could  be  and  not  touch 
his  little  charge. 

Father  did  not  see  Tige  at  first,  for  he  lay  flat  down  with 
his  head  outstretched  between  his  paws,  and  he  looked 
very  much  the  color  of  the  brown  earth. 

"Here  you  are!"  called  Father  as  he  hurried  near,  and 
immediately  there  was  a  low  gr-r-r-r  from  deep  down  hi 
Tige's  throat.  It  meant,  "She's  asleep!  Don't  you  know 
that  you  mustn't  wake  her  up?  I'm  taking  care  of  her 
and  you  needn't  come  near." 

Father  gave  Tige  a  pat  and  said,  "Good  dog."  He  did 
this  because  Tige  could  be  very  cross  when  one  did  not 
mind  his  growl.  Then  he  turned  to  Sweet  Pea.  The  dirt 
was  on  her  dress  and  hi  her  hair  and  on  her  face.  In  one 


LITTLE  SWEET  PEA  157 

hand  she  held  some  clover  blooms,  all  wilted,  and  she 
stirred  a  little  as  Father  spoke. 

He  lifted  her  from  her  soft  bed  and  she  rubbed  her  eyes 
with  a  little  moist  fist  to  which  the  dirt  clung.  Mother 
and  all  the  family  were  coining  from  the  house  by  this 
time  and  Father  called,  "She's  not  hurt!  She  has  only 
been  asleep!" 

Annie  reached  Sweet  Pea  first,  for  she  could  run  the 
fastest,  and  then  one  by  one  they  all  came.  How  they 
laughed,  and  took  the  wee  girl  in  their  arms,  and  smoothed 
her  hair  and  hugged  her!  All  the  time  the  good  dog  was 
jumping  around  and  saying  in  little,  short  barks,  "I  took 
care  of  her!  Didn't  you  know  I  would?  Haven't  I  always 
taken  care  of  little  Sweet  Pea  ever  since  she  came  to  us 
and  you  told  me  to  do  so?" 

They  patted  the  faithful  protector,  while  he  leaped  on 
them,  and  barked  more,  and  licked  their  hands. 

It  was  a  happy  time  you  may  be  sure. 

Then  they  all  went  home  together,  Father  carrying  the 
little  girl  safe  in  his  arms,  and  little  Sweet  Pea  looking 
back  and  stretching  out  her  hand  as  she  called  to  her  faith- 
ful care-taker,  "Come,  Tige,  Tige,  Tige!" 


LESSON  30 
THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD 


Hymn:  "Heavenly  Shepherd,  true  and  holy"  (page  203)  or 
"The  King  of  Love  my  Shepherd  is"  (A  Book  of 
Song  and  Service,  p.  64.) 

Prayer:   (From  Lesson  29  or  Lesson  6.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Forsythia,  or  any  flowering  shrub. 

Memory  Verse:   (The  23d  Psalm,  continued.) 

Handwork:  Color  initials  and  border  of  text. 

Make  sheepfold  of  paper.    (See  Introduction,  p.  21) 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

E  beauty  of  the  forsythia  as  it  grows  should  be 
_L    observed,  if  possible. 

Which  animals  that  go  in  flocks  like  so  well  to  eat  the 
tender  grass?  Ask  where  the  sheep  are  sometimes  kept 
at  night.  Show  picture  or  drawing  of  sheepfold.  (Refer 
to  the  chapter  on  handwork  in  the  Introduction  for  sug- 
gestions.) Say  that  the  teacher  always  knows  who  are 
present  in  the  class.  Ask  how  she  can  tell  if  the  entire 
number  is  present,  and  how  she  feels  if  all  are  not  there. 
Explain  that  the  shepherd  cared  for  the  sheep  so  much 
that  he  would  take  great  pains  to  count  them  and  to  find 
any  that  were  lost. 


158 


npHERE  was  once  a  good  shepherd  who  had  a  flock  of 
J_  a  hundred  sheep.  He  knew  every  one  of  them  by 
name,  and  they  all  followed  him  when  they  heard  his 
voice.  Every  day  he  led  them  from  the  fold  to  green  pas- 
tures where  the  grass  was  fresh  and  sweet.  When  they 
were  thirsty,  he  found  them  water  to  drink;  when  the 
sun  was  hot,  he  led  them  into  the  cool  shade  where  they 
could  rest  while  the  little  lambs  played  about  them.  Some- 
times a  lamb  would  stray  away  from  the  flock,  but  the 
shepherd  loved  every  one  of  them  and  searched  the  field 
over  until  it  was  found. 

One  day  it  began  to  grow  dark  very  suddenly  and  the 
shepherd  knew  that  that  meant  a  storm  was  coming,  so  he 
called  the  sheep  together  and  started  down  the  rough  hill- 
side hoping  to  reach  the  sheepfold  before  the  rain  came. 

The  wind  blew  cold  and  colder,  and  it  grew  very  dark, 
branches  fell  hi  the  way  and  it  was  hard  to  keep  in  the 
rough  path,  but  the  shepherd  knew  he  must  move  on 
quickly.  So  he  hurried  on,  clearing  the  path  as  well  as 
he  could.  At  last  they  reached  the  sheepfold  and  soon  he 
was  standing  beside  the  gate  counting  the  sheep  as  they 
went  into  the  fold,  glad  because  he  thought  that  they 
were  all  safe. 

"Oh,  but  there  are  only  ninety  and  nine!  Surely,  I  had 
a  hundred  sheep!"  he  said  as  the  last  one  went  in.  "One 
must  have  lost  its  way,  and  is  still  on  the  hill-side."  So 
the  good  shepherd  turned  and  climbed  the  hill,  although 
the  rain  beat  hard  against  his  face  and  the  cold  wind  pulled 

159 


160     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

and  tugged  at  his  cloak,  for  he  loved  his  sheep,  even  the 
tiniest  lamb. 

The  shade  of  every  tree  and  of  every  great  boulder  was 
searched,  but  all  too  soon  it  grew  dark  and  the  shepherd 
was  just  ready  to  turn  and  go  home,  for  he  could  see  no 
longer,  when  a  voice  in  his  heart  said,  "What  man  having 
an  hundred  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave 
the  ninety  and  nine  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost  until 
he  find  it?" 

So  on  he  went  again,  calling  the  name  of  the  missing 
sheep  as  he  went.  At  last  he  heard  a  little  sound  which 
told  him  just  where  to  find  the  lost  sheep.  It  was  the 
cry  of  the  smallest  lamb  in  the  flock.  He  had  strayed  away 
and  was  caught  in  a  bramble-bush,  and  when  the  shepherd 
reached  him  the  lamb  was  scratched  and  torn  and  so  tired 
that  he  could  hardly  move. 

The  good  shepherd  lifted  the  lamb  tenderly  and  laid  him 
on  his  shoulders  rejoicing  as  he  came  down  the  hill-side. 

When  he  reached  the  sheepfold  he  called  to  his  friends 
and  neighbors,  saying,  "  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found 
my  sheep  which  was  lost." 


LESSON  31 
THE  FRIENDLY  DARK 


Song:  "The  Friendly  Dark."    (Page  223) 

Prayer:   "Make  us  brave  without  a  fear"  (from  Lesson  6). 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Pansies. 

Memory  Verse:   God  is  our  refuge  and  strength. 

Handwork.    Color  the  sketch. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SEE  the  wonderful  velvety  petals  and  beautiful  coloring 
of  the  pansies!    Give  a  flower  to  each  child  at  the  close. 
The  pansy  means  "kind  thoughts."     Think  of  some  one 
to  whom  the  class  may  send  a  bunch  of  pansies. 

Refer  to  the  tulips.  They  close  up  at  night.  Do  the 
children  know  of  any  other  flowers  that  do  this?  Has 
any  one  seen  a  fire-fly?  Ask  about  little  insects  that  go 
about  in  the  dark  and  find  their  way.  The  dark  is  their 
good  friend.  It  is  our  good  friend,  too,  for  it  brings  us  rest 
as  it  does  the  flowers. 


161 


THE  FRIENDLY  DARK 

BY  ADELAIDE  NICHOLS 

IT  was  a  warm  summer  evening  when  Peter  got  lost. 
He  and  his  brother  had  been  having  a  picnic  supper, 
up  on  the  hill-top.  They  stayed  there  to  watch  the  sun 
set  far  off  behind  the  mountains.  When  the  color  began 
to  fade  and  the  evening  star  came  out,  Peter's  brother  rose 
and  said, 

"Come  on  down  over  the  hill  and  home." 

"It's  shorter  by  the  road,"  said  Peter. 

"I  think  it's  shorter  over  the  hill." 

"  I  know  it  isn't.  I'll  go  by  the  road  —  you  go  by  the  hill 
and  we'll  see." 

"Right!"  said  Peter's  brother.  "One,  two,  three, — 
go!"  He  ran  down  the  grassy  hill-side  and  Peter  started 
down  the  road.  Peter  pounded  along  fast,  for  he  wanted 
very  much  to  beat.  He  felt  sure  he  would,  too,  for  almost 
hi  no  time  he  found  himself  at  the  bridge  where  the  road 
crosses  the  brook  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  He  looked  up 
over  the  hill-side  to  see  if  his  brother  were  there.  But  no 
one  was  in  sight.  Only,  a  little  way  down  the  brook  he  heard 
a  crashing  in  the  bushes  and  Peter  felt  sure  his  brother  was 
there.  He  thought  he  would  turn  off  the  road  and  show 
him  that  he  had  come  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  first. 

He  floundered  through  the  bushes,  getting  scratched 
and  slapped  by  strong  little  twigs  that  seemed  to  be  taking 
his  brother's  part.  Then  he  sat  down  a  moment  to  listen 
for  the  crackle  that  should  tell  where  his  brother  was. 

Suddenly  he  heard  some  one  whistling  gayly.  The 
bushes  parted  and  some  one  came  through. 

162 


THE  FRIENDLY  DARK  163 

"Jim!"  cried  Peter.  The  figure  turned  and  stepped 
nearer.  Then  Peter  saw  that  it  wasn't  his  brother,  but 
some  one  much  taller.  A  lump  of  fear  came  into  his  throat 
and  he  sat  tense.  The  man  drew  nearer  and  then,  to 
Peter's  horror,  sat  right  down  beside  him.  Peter  stared 
straight  ahead  of  him  breathing  hard,  not  daring  to  look 
at  the  man. 

"Are  you  lost,  too?"  When  the  man  spoke,  he  had  a 
land,  merry  voice. 

"Kind  of,"  faltered  Peter.    "Are  you?" 

"Oh,  no!"  the  man  laughed;  "but  this  little  fellow  is." 
He  held  out  his  hand  and  opened  it.  There  Peter  saw  a 
little  yellow  chicken,  peeping  sadly.  Peter  forgot  his  fear 
and  looked  up  at  the  man.  He  saw  that  he  had  a  kind, 
dark  face  with  black  curls  clustered  round  it,  and  shining 
eyes  that  were  the  color  of  the  darkness,  part  blue  and 
part  black. 

"Where  did  you  find  the  chick?"  asked  Peter  with 
interest. 

"He  got  out  of  the  farm-yard  yonder  and  was  running 
in  the  dewy  grass.  Poor  thing,  he  was  scared.  He  doesn't 
know  what  to  do  when  it's  dark  except  run  under  his 
mother's  whig.  Hasn't  much  brains,  I  say,  —  don't  you?" 

"Why  not?"  asked  Peter. 

"Because  he's  afraid  of  the  dark,"  said  the  man 

"Aren't  you?"  said  Peter. 

The  man  laughed  again.  "No,  indeed!"  he  said.  "Only 
silly  little  chickens  and  babies  are  afraid  of  the  dark.  The 
dark  is  a  most  beautiful  thing,  a  friend  of  mine  and  of  all 
my  friends." 

"Who  are  your  friends?"  asked  Peter,  thinking  this  was 
a  strange  man  indeed. 

"Listen  a  moment  and  you'll  hear  them  talk."  Peter 
held  his  breath  and  listened.  Then  he  noticed  for  the 


164     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

first  time  that  all  the  air  was  humming  with  a  sound  like 
many  little  banjos  and  fiddles. 

"What  is  it?"  he  said. 

"They  are  my  insect  friends,  katydids  and  millions  of 
little  night  things  that  make  music  in  the  dark.  Oh,  just 
look  over  there!" 

Peter  looked  and  saw  a  little  spark  of  light  gleam  over 
the  brook.  Then  came  another  and  another  till  clusters 
of  lights  shot  in  and  out  among  the  bushes. 

"Those  are  more  of  my  bisect  friends,"  said  the  man, 
"the  little  fire-flies  who  go  about  with  then*  lanterns  to 
see  that  the  flowers  are  sleeping  well.  The  fire-flies  are 
good  friends  of  the  dark." 

"Are  the  flowers  friends  of  the  dark,  too?" 

'Oh,  yes,  though  like  little  boys  they  don't  often  see 
her.  Flowers  play  all  day  in  the  sun  and  at  night  they  are 
tired  and  hot.  So  the  dark  comes  and  washes  all  then* 
faces  with  dew  and  gives  each  one  a  drink  and  closes  their 
petals  up  so  they  can  sleep.  If  it  were  not  for  the  dark 
the  flowers  would  die  with  weariness:  they  play  so  hard 
all  day  with  the  sun  and  wind.  —  S-sh!  I  hear  another 
friend  of  mine." 

Peter  held  still  again.  There  was  a  scurry  of  little  feet 
along  the  shore  of  the  brook  and  a  dark  body  showed  for 
a  moment  against  the  bright  water.  Flop!  Flop!  Some 
little  animal  dove  into  the  brook. 

"There  he  goes,"  said  the  man;  "that's  my  friend  the 
muskrat  taking  his  evening  swim." 

"Why  does  he  swim  at  night?" 

"Oh,  he  loves  the  dark.  It  takes  care  of  him  and  hides 
him  from  bigger  animals  and  helps  him  to  find  food.  Many 
little  annuals  love  the  dark  who  are  afraid  of  the  day." 

"Afraid  of  the  day?"  cried  Peter,  to  whom  this  seemed  a 
very  strange  idea. 


THE  FRIENDLY  DARK  165 

"Yes,  their  enemies  find  them  in  the  day.  But  the  dark 
is  kind  to  them  and  keeps  them  safe." 

Just  then  the  little  chicken  began  to  peep  more  dismally 
than  ever.  The  man  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"I  must  take  this  little  silly  home  to  his  mother,"  he 
said.  "He's  afraid  of  the  dark." 

"Isn't  the  dark  his  friend?" 

"Yes,  but  the  dark  takes  care  of  him  by  putting  him  to 
sleep  under  his  mother's  wing,  just  as  the  dark  takes  care 
of  you  by  putting  you  to  sleep.  It  is  your  bedtime  now. 
You  will  be  too  tired  to  play  with  the  sun  and  wind  to- 
morrow if  you  don't  go  home  to  bed." 

Peter  stood  up  and  looked  around.  He  did  not  know 
where  his  home  was.  The  darkness  made  everything  look 
strange  and  seemed  to  hide  the  way  to  his  home  from  him. 
He  shivered.  "Wouldn't  the  dark  hurt  you?"  he  said. 

The  man  only  laughed.  But,  as  he  laughed,  Peter  noticed 
the  brave  fire-fly  lamps  and  heard  the  muskrat  scuttling 
up  the  bank  and  the  hum  of  many  insects  in  the  grass. 
Near  him,  the  close-folded  wild  roses  slept,  tired  out  with 
a  long,  sunny  day.  Everything  seemed  to  remind  Peter 
how  good  a  friend  the  dark  is. 

"The  dark  wouldn't  hurt  you,"  he  said  boldly.  The 
little  chicken  peeped  fretfully  from  the  man's  hand.  Peter 
thought  him  very  silly  to  be  afraid.  The  man  reached 
down  for  Peter's  hand.  "I'll  take  you  both  back  to  your 
mothers,"  he  said.  "You  see,  the  dark  took  care  of  you 
both.  She  even  takes  care  of  the  little  day  things  like 
chickens  and  little  boys.  I  believe  she  put  it  into  my  head 
to  come  out  into  the  fields,  instead  of  sitting  inside  my 
own  house  reading  a  book  by  the  lamp-light." 

"Who  are  you?"  said  Peter. 

"Oh,  one  of  the  friends  of  the  dark,"  said  the  man,  and 
laughed  again. 


166     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

So  little  Peter  got  home  safely.  His  brother  had  arrived 
long  before  and  was  still  maintaining  how  short  it  was  to 
come  over  the  hill.  His  mother  met  Peter  at  the  door, 
quite  anxious  and  very  glad  to  see  him.  She  carried  him 
up  to  bed  and  helped  him  undress.  When  he  began  to 
say  his  prayers,  he  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  they 
began,  "Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  night." 

He  stopped.  "Mother,"  he  said,  "is  God  one  of  the 
friends  of  the  dark  or  of  the  day?  " 

"Of  both,"  said  his  mother.  "You  know  we  say,  "The 
darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  Thee.'" 

Peter  did  not  answer,  for  the  friendly  dark  had  already 
closed  his  tired  eyes  and  put  him  to  sleep. 


LESSON  32 
THE  DISTRUSTFUL  BUNNY 


Hymn:   "  A  Chad's  Prayer."    (Page  224) 

Prayer:  Guide  us,  protect  us, 
Show  us  the  way. 
Help  us,  dear  Father, 
Just  for  today. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Tender  shoots  of  maple,  with  buds. 

Memory  Verse:  (The  words  of  the  prayer,  which  are  also  the 
words  of  the  hymn.) 

Handwork.  Trace  outline  of  the  rabbit 

Color  at  home  the  design  on  p.  4  of  the  Leaflet. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  tenderness  and  lovely  color  of  the  young 
shoots  from  any  tree  or  shrub.     Many  little  wood 
creatures  like  to  eat  the  tender  bark  and  leaves. 

Explain  that  many  animals  cannot  be  seen  easily.  They 
look  like  the  ground  —  as  Tige  looked  in  the  story  about 
Little  Sweet  Pea  —  or  like  the  snow  in  winter.  The  fur 
changes  its  color  with  the  season.  That  is  one  way  by 
which  they  are  protected.  The  rabbit  is  one  of  the  animala 
thus  cared  for.  Is  any  one  else  protected  besides  the 
little  wood  creatures?  When? 


167 


THE  DISTRUSTFUL  BUNNY 

BY  ROSE  BROOKS 

ONCE  upon  a  time  a  little  Bunny  lived  in  a  deep  forest, 
and  he  should  have  been  a  very  happy  Bunny.  With 
his  bright  pink  eyes  he  could  see  all  day  the  tall,  straight 
trees,  the  flowers,  and  the  green  grass;  with  his  little  black 
nose,  which  began  to  twitch  joyously  when  he  first  opened 
his  eyes  hi  the  morning,  he  could  smell  the  cool  ferns,  and 
the  dewy  cobwebs  stretched  over  the  soft  moss;  and  with 
his  long  ears  he  could  listen  all  day  to  the  birds  hi  the  trees 
overhead,  and  to  the  insects  which  sang  all  about  him, 
close  to  the  ground.  But  did  he?  His  pink  eyes  saw  none 
of  the  beautiful  things  all  about  him;  his  black  nose  did 
not  twitch  joyously  at  each  sweet,  woodsy  scent;  and  his 
long  ears  were  deaf  to  the  music  of  the  forest. 

That  Bunny  moped  about  all  the  sunny  summer  days, 
and  all  the  time  he  kept  thinking  and  thinking  to  himself:  — 

"Of  course,  my  brown  coat  is  all  very  well  for  summer. 
To  be  sure,  it's  nearly  the  color  of  the  earth,  and  the  fallen 
pine  needles,  and  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  so  it  would  be 
hard  for  any  other  animal  to  see  me  and  catch  me,  but, 
oh,  what  shall  I  do  when  winter  comes?  Mr.  Bear  says 
that  in  whiter  all  the  ground  is  covered  with  cold,  white 
snow.  Then  every  one  can  see  my  brown  coat  plainly,  and 
I  shall  be  so  frightened  all  the  time!  Oh,  what  shall  I  do 
when  winter  comes?" 

All  through  the  warm  summer  days,  when  that  Bunny 
should  have  been  happy  every  minute,  he  was  worrying 
about  the  snowy  winter  days  ahead,  and  every  bit  of  the 
joy  of  summer  was  spoiled  for  him. 

168 


THE  DISTRUSTFUL  BUNNY  169 

One  day  he  noticed  that  the  leaves  on  some  of  his  forest 
trees,  which  had  been  a  shining  green,  were  turning  to  gold 
and  crimson,  but  he  was  too  worried  to  let  his  pink  eyes 
see  the  beauty  of  the  leaves,  because  at  just  this  same 
time  he  noticed  that  his  coat  was  fading  day  by  day,  until 
it  had  changed  from  a  leafy  brown  to  a  dingy  yellow.  Poor 
Bunny  was  more  frightened  than  he  had  been  all  summer. 

"Oh,  dear!"  he  wailed  to  himself.  "Is  my  coat  becom- 
ing a  bright  yellow,  like  one  of  those  golden  leaves?  Oh, 
dear!  I  think  a  yellow  coat  could  be  seen  even  farther  in 
winter  than  a  brown  one.  What  shall  I  do!  What  shall 
I  do!" 

By  this  tune  Bunny  was  so  frightened  that  he  became 
quite  ill,  and  he  lay  curled  up  out  of  sight  under  the  bracken, 
keeping  his  eyes  tight  shut  and  trying  to  forget  his  fright. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  felt  something  soft  and  wet  on 
his  nose,  and  when  he  opened  his  eyes  a  little  crack  he 
saw  that  the  air  was  full  of  white,  soft,  falling  things  like 
flower  petals,  and  already  the  ground  was  white  with 
them.  Bunny  sprang  to  his  feet,  shivering  with  fright. 

"It  must  be  the  snow!  It's  here,  it's  here,  and  now 
every  animal  hi  the  forest  can  see  my  dreadful  coat  so 
plainly!" 

Just  as  he  was  about  to  leap  forth  in  frightened  haste, 
in  search  of  a  more  secure  hiding-place,  he  suddenly  grew 
rigid  with  amazement.  Out  of  his  unbelieving  pink  eyes 
he  saw  that  his  coat  was  not  brown,  nor  yet  golden  yellow; 
no,  his  coat  was  a  soft,  unspotted  white,  —  just  the  very 
color  of  the  snow. 

"Why,"  he  gasped,  "nobody  can  see  me,  after  all.  I'm 
just  the  color  of  everything  all  around  me.  My  coat  is 
white,  and  now  everything  hi  the  forest  is  white." 

Such  a  big  load  rolled  right  off  that  Bunny's  mind  that 
he  was  the  very  happiest  little  animal  hi  all  the  forest.  For 


170     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

all  at  once  he  saw  for  himself  just  what  a  distrustful,  miser- 
able Bunny  he  had  been  all  during  the  summer  days.  When 
he  saw  how  he  hadn't  had  one  minute  of  happiness,  or  fun, 
or  peace,  when  he  might  have  been  happy  every  livelong 
summer  day,  he  gave  such  a  big,  happy  sigh  that  he  blew 
the  snow  right  off  a  fern  that  was  hi  front  of  his  nose,  and 
he  thought  to  himself:  — 

"In  summer  my  coat  was  brown,  to  match  every  thing 
around  me  so  that  I  would  be  safe.  And  now  everything 
around  me  is  white,  but  my  coat  isn't  brown  any  longer; 
it's  white,  so  I'll  still  be  safe!  So  I  just  know  it  will  be 
brown  again  next  summer,  and  now  I  can  be  happy  all 
the  time!" 

Adapted  with  permission  of  author. 


MAY 

Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE  AND   SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE  THAT  SERVES 

Small  service  is  true  service  while  it  lasts: 
Of  humblest  friends,  bright  creature,  scorn  not  one. 

The  daisy  by  the  shadow  that  it  casts 
Protects  the  lingering  dewdrop  from  the  sun. 

William  Wordsworth 

SUGGESTIONS  FOB  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

MAY    begins   the  subject    "Love  in  Service"  —  the 
crowning    expression    of  love.      The    thought    for 
teachers  to  hold  and  to  pass  on  in  some  form  and  degree 
to  the  children  is  that  we  are  all  working  together  to  serve 
God.    We  serve  God  when  we  help  each  other. 

The  quiet  music  suggested  for  May  is  "Traumerei"  by 
Schuman,  or  "St.  Sylvester,"  No.  32  in  Song  and  Service 
Book. 


171 


LESSON  33 
JESUS  AND  THE  LITTLE  CHILDREN 

Song:  "Hymn  of  Thanks."    (Page  225) 

Prayer:   (As  in  Lesson  32.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Lilies  of  the  valley. 

Memory  Verse :  He  put  his  hands  on  them,  and  blessed  them. 

Handword:  Color  initials  in  text. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

T   ILIES   symbolize   the   purity   of   little   children   and 
I  J  bring  to  the  class  much  that  is  beautiful. 

Recall  by  questions  two  other  stories  about  Jesus.  The 
second  told  of  crowds  of  people  about  him.  There  were 
often  such  crowds.  Today's  story  tells  of  many  little  chil- 
dren among  the  people.  Ask  about  Children's  Sunday 
and  about  the  christening  of  babies  and  little  children. 
Say  that  the  mothers  brought  the  children  to  Jesus  for 
his  blessing.  Explain  the  feeling  of  the  disciples,  and 
show  how  by  the  rebuke  to  the  disciples  Jesus  helped  the 
mothers  to  come  near  him. 

Speak  of  the  happiness  of  the  mothers  who  came  to 
Jesus,  and  of  the  happiness  of  mothers  and  friends  of 
babies  who  are  christened. 


JESUS  AND  THE  LITTLE  CHILDREN 

TT  7HEREVER  Jesus  went  people  followed  him.  Some- 
W  times  with  his  friends  there  was  a  great  crowd  of 
people  who  did  not  know  him.  They  followed  because 
they  were  curious  to  see  Jesus  and  to  have  him  answer 
their  questions.  This  was  not  always  easy  for  Jesus  to 
do,  but  he  was  never  afraid  to  answer  and  always  said 
what  he  thought  was  right. 

Sometimes  the  answers  made  people  angry,  and  then 
they  would  turn  away  and  whisper  hard  things  among 
themselves.  Sometimes  the  crowds  came  close  and  got 
in  his  way,  so  much  so  that  Jesus'  friends  would  tell  them 
to  stand  back  and  not  trouble  Jesus. 

One  day  among  the  crowd  there  came  mothers  with  their 
little  children.  Some  of  these  were  babes  so  young  that 
their  mothers  carried  them  in  then*  arms,  some  were  just 
walking,  and  others  were  running  on  ahead. 

These  mothers  wanted  Jesus  to  do  just  what  our  minister 
does  on  Children's  Sunday,  —  lay  his  hands  on  the  chil- 
dren's heads  and  say  a  little  prayer,  —  that  is,  ask  God 
to  bless  the  children.  The  friends  of  Jesus  told  the  mothers 
not  to  do  this,  for  they  were  hi  the  way  and  ought  not  to 
try  to  speak  to  Jesus  or  even  to  get  so  near  him. 

Jesus  saw  what  was  happening  and  heard  what  his 
friends  said,  and  at  once  he  was  displeased.  "Let  the 
children  come  unto  me,"  he  said.  "Do  not  tell  them 
they  cannot  come.  Little  children  belong  to  God,  and  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  Heaven." 

Then  the  thing  happened  which  made  the  mothers 
happy,  for  Jesus  took  the  children  right  in  his  arms,  one 

173 


174     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

or  two  at  a  time,  and  placed  his  hands  on  them  and  asked 
God  to  bless  them. 

The  mothers  and  the  babies  and  the  little  children  went 
home,  glad  because  this  great  and  good  man  had  asked 
God's  blessing  upon  them.  Jesus'  friends  said  no  more, 
and  the  crowd  that  stood  around  looking  and  listening 
said  not  a  word  either,  for  they  saw  now  that  God  cared 
specially  for  little  ones,  since  Jesus  had  said  to  the  people, 
"Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 


LESSON  34 
A  MORNING  RIDE 


Hymn:   (Select  from  those  learned.) 

Prayer:  "We  thank  Thee  for  our  home  and  friends"  (from 
Lesson  7). 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Tulips. 
Memory  Verse:   (Finish  23d  Psalm). 
Handwork:  Color  tulips  in  sketch. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 


riTtLE  varied  beauty  of  the  color  of  the  tulips  and  their 
JL    silky  sheen  will  appeal  to  the  children. 

Ask  why  an  old  person  cannot  walk  far,  especially  in 
the  dry,  dusty  heat.  Explain  that  old  people  do  not  always 
ask  for  the  help  they  need,  and  that  children  may  be  of 
great  assistance  if  only  they  are  watchful.  Ask  for  sugges- 
tions of  ways  in  which  children  can  help. 


175 


A  MORNING  RIDE 

BY  ALICE  S.  EMERY 

"IT  THEN  Jack  and  Mary  started  out  with  their  pony 
VV  to  drive  that  morning,  they  didn't  know  how  very 
warm  it  was.  If  they  had  known,  I  don't  believe  they 
would  have  gone.  The  sun  shone  hotter  and  hotter  and 
by  the  tune  they  turned  toward  home  they  were  both  very 
uncomfortable. 

The  road  where  they  were  driving  had  no  shade.  "My, 
but  it's  hot!"  said  Jack.  "Isn't  it!"  said  Mary,  "but 
don't  try  to  make  poor  Gyp  go  any  faster,  for  he  is  hot, 
too."  If  they  had  looked  behind  the  little  cart,  they  could 
hardly  have  seen  a  thing,  there  was  such  a  cloud  of  hot 
dust  rising  up  where  Gyp's  feet  and  the  cart  wheels  had 
been. 

The  dust  seemed  to  follow  them  and  to  settle  down  on 
the  little  boy  and  girl  thicker  and  thicker.  But  they  didn't 
look  behind  them,  for  away  down  the  road  beyond  Jack 
saw  something. 

"What  is  that  down  yonder?"  he  asked,  and  they  both 
looked  straight  ahead  at  something  that  seemed  not  to 
move  and  was  just  beside  the  wheel  track.  "Sure  enough, 
what  is  it?"  said  Mary,  and  they  kept  looking,  trying  to 
make  out  what  it  was.  As  they  went  on  they  saw  it  was 
not  a  tree  or  a  post,  but  something  that  moved  very  slowly. 
Soon  they  both  said,  "Why!  it's  an  old,  old  woman!" 

As  they  drew  near  her,  they  saw  that  she  carried  a  heavy 
bundle,  and  in  one  hand  a  strong  stick  to  help  her  as  she 
walked,  for  she  was  very  old.  Her  clothes  were  coarse,  but 

176 


A  MORNING  RIDE  177 

clean,  and  she  wore  a  big  sun  bonnet.  Her  face  was  very 
kind  as  she  turned  to  look  at  them. 

"Rather  queer,  wasn't  she?"  said  Jack  as  they  drove  on. 

Mary  made  no  reply,  but  when  they  were  close  to  the 
street  that  led  to  their  home,  she  suddenly  clutched  Jack's 
arm,  and  said,  "Turn  around!  Turn  Gyp  around,  quick!" 

"What's  the  matter?"  said  Jack,  a  little  surprised. 

"That  poor  woman!"  said  Mary.  "I've  been  thinking 
of  her  all  the  time!  She  is  too  old  to  be  walking  today  in 
this  heat,  carrying  that  heavy  bundle." 

"  I  want  to  get  home  sometime  today,"  said  Jack,  scowling. 

"Oh,  do  hurry,  Jack!  Perhaps  she  has  fallen  down," 
said  Mary. 

Jack  slowly  turned  Gyp's  head,  and  he  trotted  back  over 
the  hot  dusty  road,  but  no  one  was  in  sight. 

They  thought  they  had  reached  the  place  where  the 
woman  had  been,  and  yet  they  saw  no  one.  Then,  just 
as  they  were  about  to  give  up  looking,  they  found  her. 
Under  a  shady  tree,  on  a  stone,  she  sat,  wiping  the  per- 
spiration from  her  hot,  tired  face.  Her  bonnet  and  bundle 
and  stick  were  beside  her.  The  minute  he  saw  her  Jack  was 
glad  that  he  had  come  back.  He  jumped  quickly  out  of 
the  cart  and  went  over  toward  the  woman,  took  off  his 
hat  very  politely,  and  said, 

"Wouldn't  you  like  to  ride  with  us?  It's  so  warm  to  be 
walking!" 

"Wouldn't  I!"  said  the  woman.  "I  am  very  glad  to 
ride,  for  I'm  afraid  I  couldn't  walk  any  farther."  Jack 
took  the  heavy  bundle  and  placed  it  in  the  cart,  Mary 
jumped  out  to  take  the  little  seat  at  the  back,  and  Jack 
helped  the  tired  woman  to  Mary's  seat.  Gyp  seemed  to 
know  that  something  good  had  happened,  for  he  trotted 
faster  than  before,  as  if  he  wanted  to  help  these  kind  chil- 
dren. On  and  on  they  went  until  they  came  to  the  very 


178     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

door  where  the  woman  wished  to  stop,  and  there  she  got 
out.  But  before  they  left  her  she  said,  "  Bless  you,  and 
thank  you  both,  kind  children.  But  for  you  I  might  not 
have  reached  here  at  all.  Only  good  can  come  to  young 
people  who  take  such  care  of  the  old."  Then  the  children 
drove  home  hi  silence. 

Suddenly  Jack  said,  "That  was  a  kind  thing  for  you  to 
think  of,  Mary.  I  never  should  have  thought  of  it  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  you.  Next  tune  I'm  going  to  think  of  it 
myself." 


LESSON  35 
LITTLE  TED 


Hymn:  "Doing  Our  Part."    (Page  226) 

Prayer:  (Review.) 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Lilacs. 

Memory  Verse :  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another. 

Handwork:  Free  drawing  of  brook. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SPEAK  of  the  many  varieties  of  lilacs  and  the  beauty 
and  fragrance  of  them  all. 

Talk  about  the  days  of  the  week  on  which  there  is  no 
school.  Ask  the  children  what  they  do  on  these  days;  if 
they  would  rather  be  alone  or  with  playmates.  Suggest  to 
the  children  that  instead  of  asking  mother,  "What  can  I 
do?"  it  is  a  good  plan  to  say,  "How  can  I  help?"  Ask 
for  suggestions  of  ways  of  helping. 


179 


LITTLE  TED 

sun  was  shining  brightly  one  early  May  morning, 
JL  and  little  Ted  sat  on  the  front  doorstep  pondering. 

His  elbows  rested  on  his  knees  and  his  chubby  face  rested 
in  his  hands.  Ted  was  thinking;  and  as  he  sat  there  keep- 
ing time  with  his  little  foot,  he  was  softly  singing  a  kinder- 
garten song. 

It  was  Saturday,  and  much  to  Ted's  discomfiture,  there 
was  no  school,  and  the  best  little  boy  did  not  know  what 
to  do  with  himself. 

"I  wish  there  was  kindergarten  every  day,"  sighed  Ted, 
and  he  longingly  thought  of  dear  Miss  Alice  and  little 
Hazel  and  John  and  Paul,  and  of  the  pretty  pink  mat  he 
was  weaving;  and  then  the  song  came  again  to  his  lips 
and  he  sang  right  merrily  and  sweetly:  — 

"I'm  small,  I  know,  but  wherever  I  go, 
The  fields  grow  greener  still." 

"That  was  such  a  pretty  story  that  Miss  Alice  told  us 
about  the  little  stream,"  thought  Ted,  "how  the  little 
stream  went  singing  on  its  way  as  happy  as  could  be,  water- 
ing the  grass  and  the  flowers  on  the  banks,  and  the  roots 
of  the  big  trees,  and  the  cows  and  sheep  and  the  birds,  and 
then  there  was  the  little  boy  who  came  after  the  cows,  — 
it  was  such  a  nice  story!" 

Pretty  soon  Ted  was  aroused  from  his  revery  by  hearing 
the  milkman  ring  his  bell.  Ted  ran  down  the  steps  and 
up  to  the  wagon  in  a  moment. 

"Well,  Ted,"  said  Thomas,  the  driver,  "you  have  come 
in  good  tune.  My  leg  is  so  lame  with  rheumatism  that  I 

180 


LITTLE  TED  181 

cannot  get  out  of  the  wagon  this  morning.  Will  you  carry 
the  milk  in  to  Maggie?" 

"Yes,  sir!"  said  Ted,  glad  of  something  to  do;  and  he 
carried  the  milk  very  carefully  to  the  kitchen  door,  where 
Maggie  met  him  with  a  pitcher  in  her  hand. 

"Thomas  is  lame  with  rheumatism,"  said  Ted,  "and 
can't  come  in."  Maggie  gave  him  a  cookie  which  she  had 
just  taken  from  the  oven,  and  off  he  went  again  as  happy 
as  a  bird.  He  felt  as  if  he  had  wings.  He  ran  out  to  the 
gate  and  swung  there  for  some  time,  the  song  again  jin- 
gling in  his  mind. 

"I'm  small,  I  know,  but  wherever  I  go, 
The  fields  grow  greener  still." 

Very  soon  he  saw  his  little  friend,  Kitty  Culpins,  com- 
ing down  the  walk,  wheeling  her  baby  brother.  As  she 
went  to  cross  the  street,  the  curbstone  was  too  high,  and 
she  was  not  strong  enough  to  get  the  carriage  over.  She 
pushed  and  she  pulled,  but  it  was  of  no  use.  Ted  watched 
her  for  some  time  and  then  a  happy  thought  popped  into 
his  little  brown  head.  He  ran  to  Kitty,  and  he  pulled  while 
she  pushed,  and  they  got  the  carriage  safely  over.  They 
walked  up  and  down  in  the  bright  sunshine  for  a  long  time, 
and  then  Kitty  went  home  and  Ted  went  to  his  favorite 
place  on  the  front  steps. 

"Singing,  singing  all  the  day,"  sang  Ted,  as  he  took 
some  marbles  from  his  pocket,  and  counted  them  over. 

He  heard  a  strange  noise  on  the  sidewalk,  and  looking 
up  he  saw  an  old  blind  man,  who  was  very  much  frightened 
at  a  wagon  which  had  passed  quite  close  to  him  as  he  was 
crossing  the  street.  The  blind  man  had  lost  his  way  and 
was  tapping  with  his  cane  upon  the  sidewalk,  to  find  out 
where  he  was. 

Ted  ran  down  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  the  poor 


182      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

old  man  told  him  that  he  had  lost  his  way.  He  wanted 
to  go  to  North  Street,  and  so  Ted  took  hold  of  his  hand 
and  turned  him  gently  around,  and  the  old  man  thanked 
him  kindly. 

Just  then  the  dinner  bell  rang,  and  Ted  ran  hi  with  a 
light  heart.  His  papa  said,  "Ted,  what  have  you  been 
doing  today?"  "Oh!  having  some  fun,"  said  Ted. 

From  Half  a  Hundred  Stones.  Milton 
Bradley  Company,  publishers.  Used 
by  permission. 


LESSON  36 
THE   SHEPHERD   BOY  OF  ISRAEL 

Hymn:  "Little  Lambs  so  White  and  Fair."    (Page  227) 

Prayer:  Father  in  heaven,  bless  Thy  little  children 

Gathered  before  Thee  on  this  happy  day. 
For  the  morning  sunshine,  for  the  day,  we  thank  Thee. 
O  sun  of  love,  shine  in  our  hearts,  we  pray. 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Fern  fronds. 

Memory  Verse:   He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  hi  green  pastures. 

Handwork:  Tear  green  paper  to  represent  hill-side. 
Cut  trees,  and  paste. 


TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

ASK  if  the  children  know  the  name  "frond"  for  a  fern 
leaf.     Notice   the  beauty  of  the  curled-up  leaves. 
Refer  to  spring's  birthday  presents. 

Can  the  children  tell  whether  it  is  Father,  or  Mother, 
who  calls  them?  What  do  they  do  when  called?  The 
sheep  cannot  answer  as  the  children  do;  but  they  listen 
and  answer  by  going  to  the  shepherd.  Who  of  the  class 
has  a  pet?  What  do  you  do  for  it?  How  does  the  pet  show 
its  love  for  you?  The  shepherd  takes  care  of  his  sheep  as 
you  care  for  your  pets.  The  sheep  love  the  shepherd  and 
follow  him. 


183 


THE  SHEPHERD  BOY  OF  ISRAEL 

LONG,  long  ago  there  was  a  shepherd  boy  who  sang 
as  he  took  care  of  the  sheep  in  the  pastures  of  his 
father. 

"Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness!"  was  his  song,  for  he 
had  found  so  many  ways  of  helping  others  that  he  was  glad 
hi  his  heart  and  sang  for  pure  joy.  His  name  was  David. 
He  was  the  youngest  boy  hi  Jesse's  family  of  seven  sons. 
David's  brothers  were  men  quite  as  large  and  strong  as 
their  father,  and  old  enough  to  go  away  from  home  to 
serve  as  soldiers  hi  the  king's  army  when  he  needed  men 
to  protect  his  country.  But  when  David  begged  to  go 
too,  Jesse  said,  "Oh,  no,  you  are  only  a  boy  and  must  stay 
at  home  and  help  me  until  you  learn  how  to  protect  others." 

So  David  went  out  on  the  beautiful  fields  and  quiet 
hills  with  the  sheep,  for  Jesse  was  a  shepherd  and  had  many 
hundreds  of  sheep  which  needed  to  be  watched  over  and 
protected. 

As  the  days  went  on,  David  learned  to  choose  green  pas- 
tures where  there  was  plenty  of  sweet  grass,  and  many  safe 
resting  places  for  the  sheep  when  they  were  tired.  When 
they  were  thirsty  he  led  them  beside  the  still  waters,  for 
sheep  need  fresh  water  every  day.  Sometimes  he  would 
find  a  quiet  little  pool  where  the  cool  water  stood  for  a 
few  moments  before  it  bubbled  and  sang  its  way  across 
the  field.  Again  it  would  be  a  deep  well  from  which  he 
would  draw  cold  water  in  buckets  until  every  sheep  was 
refreshed. 

He  also  learned  that  he  must  never  let  the  sheep  stray 
into  the  neighbor's  field,  for  the  law  of  the  country  said 

184 


THE  SHEPHERD  BOY  OF  ISRAEL  185 

that  they  would  then  belong  to  the  man  who  owned  the 
field  into  which  they  had  strayed. 

So  David  learned  to  guide  the  sheep  in  the  right  way 
and  the  sheep  learned  to  trust  him  and  to  come  whenever 
he  called,  for  they  knew  he  was  their  kind  friend  and  they 
were  sure  of  his  protecting  care. 

One  day  as  David  watched  the  flock  a  great  lion  ran 
down  from  the  rocks  on  the  hillside  and  took  a  little  lamb 
away  from  its  mother.  David,  seeing  what  had  happened, 
without  giving  a  thought  to  his  own  safety,  ran  quickly 
and  rescued  the  lamb  from  the  lion  before  he  could  get 
away  to  his  den. 

At  other  times  he  drove  away  the  wild  beasts  that  tried 
to  steal  the  sheep,  for  he  loved  every  sheep  in  the  flock 
and  was  glad  to  protect  them. 

Sometimes  he  used  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  trees  and 
listen  to  the  song  of  the  leaves  as  the  wind  blew  them  to 
and  fro.  He  learned  to  love  the  song  of  the  birds  as  they 
flew  overhead.  They  seemed  to  say,  "God  is  love.  He 
cares  for  us.  He  sends  us  the  beautiful  flowers,  the  trees, 
and  the  great  green  meadows.  Give  thanks!  Give  thanks!" 

"I,  too,  will  give  thanks,"  sang  David,  as  he  listened, 
"and  I  will  serve  the  Lord  with  gladness  and  with  all  my 
heart!  His  loving  care  is  over  all!" 


JUNE 

Theme  for  the  Year:  LOVE  AND   SERVICE 
Theme  for  the  Month:  LOVE  THAT  SERVES 

Earth's  crammed  with  heaven, 

And  every  common  bush  afire  with  God; 

But  only  he  who  sees  takes  off  his  shoes. 

Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  MONTH'S  LESSONS 

ripHE  concluding  lessons  of  the  year  continue  the  theme 
J_  of  love  and  service.  Try  to  emphasize  in  all  the 
lessons  the  thought  that  even  very  little  children  may 
render  service  if  only  by  carrying  a  sunshiny  face.  "By 
love  serve  one  another"  is  the  thought  that  finishes  the 
lessons  for  the  year. 

The   suggestion  for  music   is   "To   a  Wild  Rose,"  by 
MacDowell,  and  "Palestrina,"  p.  228. 


187 


LESSON  37 
THE   GOOD   SAMARITAN 


Hymn:   "What  Can  Thy  Little  Children  Bring"     (Page  228) 
Prayer:   (As  in  Lesson  36.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  A  basket  of  daisies  or  Ms. 
Memory  Verse :  They  helped  every  man  his  neighbor. 
Handwork:    Make  daisy  chains. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

BRING  a  basket  of  daisies  and  let  children  choose  to 
whom  it  shall  be  given  and  who  shall  cany  the 
flowers. 

If  a  person  is  badly  hurt  and  no  one  helps  him,  what 
may  happen  to  the  person?  Shall  we  help  one  if  we  do 
not  know  his  name?  Bring  out  the  thought  by  questions, 
that  it  is  not  enough  to  help  one  who  is  hurt  for  the  present 
time  only;  to  get  well,  the  injured  person  must  have  con- 
tinued care. 

Encourage  the  children  to  help  some  one  today. 


188 


THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN 

LUKE  10:30-36 

4  CERTAIN  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho, 
_X\_  and  fell  among  thieves,  which  stripped  him  of  his 
raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  departed,  leaving  him 
half  dead. 

And  by  chance  there  came  down  a  certain  priest  that 
way:  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other 
side.  And  likewise  a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  place, 
came  and  looked  on  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 
But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came  where  he 
was:  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  had  compassion  on  him, 
and  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in 
oil  and  wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought 
him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him. 

And  on  the  morrow  when  he  departed,  he  took  out  two 
pence,  and  gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said  unto  him,  Take 
care  of  him;  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  when  I 
come  again,  I  will  repay  thee. 

Which  now  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  was  neighbor 
unto  him  that  fell  among  the  thieves? 


189 


LESSON  38 
BENNIE'S   SUNSHINE 


Hymn:  "Doing  Our  Part."    (Page  226) 

Prayer:    (As  in  last  lesson.) 

For  the  Nature  Talks:  Buttercups. 

Memory  Verses:  Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness. 
Be  ye  kind,  one  to  another. 

Handwork:  Color  buttercups  in  drawing. 
Model  a  pitcher. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

ri^HE  buttercups  furnish  beauty  and  interest  for  the 
_|_    story.    Show  that  they  have  the  sun's  color. 
Explain  the  need  of  sunshine  to  keep  well  and  to  restore 
health.     Ask  what  children  can  do  to  help  where  there  is 
some  one  ill.    Why  be  quiet  and  careful  then?    Why  have 
a  sunshiny  face? 


190 


BENNIE'S  SUNSHINE 

BY  MABEL  RUST 

T  ITTLE  BENNIE  lived  with  his  grandmother,  in  the 
I  J  basement  of  an  old  house.  The  street  was  so  narrow 
that  the  warm  sunlight  could  not  shine  into  the  low  rooms, 
and  grandmother  was  too  feeble  to  go  out  of  doors.  She 
had  been  sick  now  for  a  week,  and  a  kind  neighbor  came 
in  to  help  with  the  work.  Little  Ben  did  errands,  and  tried 
his  best  to  be  useful. 

It  was  a  pleasant  spring  day,  and  after  Bennie  had  come 
from  the  store  with  a  pitcher  of  milk,  he  sat  by  grand- 
mother's bed,  and  told  her  how  warm  and  bright  the  sun- 
shine was,  and  how  he  wished  it  would  shine  into  their 
windows.  "Ah!  it  has  been  so  long  since  I  felt  the  sun- 
shine!" said  grandmother,  and  she  sighed.  While  Bennie 
watched  her  she  seemed  to  sleep,  and  he  put  on  his  cap, 
poured  the  milk  into  a  bowl,  and  went  out,  with  the  pitcher 
in  his  hand,  shutting  the  door  softly  behind  him.  He  had 
a  plan  for  bringing  sunshine  to  dear  grandmother.  Was 
not  the  Common  near,  where  the  sun  just  shines  all  day 
long?  Surely  some  of  that  sunshine  could  be  spared  for 
her. 

So  little  Ben  ran  all  the  way,  till  he  came  to  the  wide 
Common.  Then  he  placed  the  pitcher  carefully  down  on 
the  grass,  so  the  sun  could  shine  straight  into  it.  "I  will 
wait  till  it  is  quite  full,"  he  thought,  and  so  began  to  pick 
the  yellow  buttercups  that  grew  all  about.  He  soon  had 
a  big  bunch,  and  they  were  as  bright  as  the  sunshine. 
"Grandma  will  be  so  surprised  when  she  wakes  up,  and 
how  pleased  she  will  be  to  have  the  sunshine,  after  all," 

191 


192      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Bennie  thought.  He  started  for  home  with  the  buttercups 
in  one  hand  and  the  pitcher  in  the  other,  his  face  rosy 
and  smiling. 

Grandmother  was  still  asleep,  so  he  laid  the  buttercups 
on  her  pillow,  where  she  would  be  sure  to  see  them,  as 
soon  as  she  opened  her  eyes.  He  set  the  pitcher  on  the 
table  and  sang: 

"Wake!  says  the  Sunshine, 

'Tis  tune  to  get  up; 
Wake!  pretty  daisy, 
And  sweet  buttercup." 

Soon  she  opened  her  eyes,  and  the  first  thing  she  saw 
was  the  bunch  of  buttercups. 

"Why,  they  are  like  sunshine!"  she  said. 

"Yes,  grandmother,"  cried  little  Ben,  "and  I  have  filled 
the  pitcher  with  real  sunshine,  —  just  see!"  But  when 
they  looked  inside,  the  pitcher  was  empty;  all  the  bright 
light  had  gone  out  of  it. 

Grandmother  comforted  her  dear  little  boy  by  telling 
him  that  his  loving  face  was  her  best  sunshine,  that  even 
if  she  could  not  go  into  the  beautiful  country,  she  was 
happy  with  him  always. 

It  was  not  long  after  this  before  kind  friends  came  and 
took  little  Ben  and  his  grandmother  out  into  the  country, 
to  stay  all  summer.  And  with  the  sunshine  and  little  Ben 
to  help  her,  grandmother  at  last  grew  strong  enough  to 
walk  into  the  green  fields.  She  called  Bennie  "Little 
Sunshine." 

Don't  you  think  it  was  a  good  name  for  him? 

From  The  Boston  Collection  of  Kinder- 
garten Stones.  Used  with  permis- 
sion of  J.  L.  Hammett  Co.,  publishers. 


Hymn:   "We  Thank  Thee,  Father."    (Page  229) 
Prayer:    (As  in  Lesson  37.) 
For  the  Nature  Talk:  Clover. 

Memory  Verse :  Blessed  is  he  that  giveth  a  cup  of  water  in 
my  name. 

Handwork:  Free  drawing  of  dipper  on  separate  sheet. 
Model  dipper,  or  cup. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

THE  color  and  sweetness  and  thickly  spiked  bloom  of 
the  clover  are  different   from  any  flower  we  have 
noticed.    The  children  will  know  that  it  is  the  bees'  flower. 
Explain  what  famine  means.     Talk  about  the  discom- 
fort of  thirst,  especially  when  one  is  ill.    Recall  the  story 
(Lesson  34)  of  two  children  who  helped  an  aged  woman. 
This  child  in  the  story  is  caring  for  an  older  person  whom 
she  dearly  loved.    When  we  are  caring  for  or  helping  another 
we  forget  whether  what  we  are  doing  is  hard  or  not. 


193 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  DIPPER 

ONCE  upon  a  time,  long,  long  ago,  a  dear  little  girl 
lived  with  her  mother  in  a  house  on  the  edge  of  a 
great  forest.  They  were  far  away  from  other  people,  and 
sometimes  this  little  girl  was  very  lonely. 

One  year  a  great  famine  came  on  the  land.  There  was 
little  food  to  eat,  and  since  no  rain  had  fallen  for  many 
months,  there  was  not  even  clear  water  to  drink  and  the 
people  grew  weak  and  ill.  The  little  child  did  everything 
she  could  to  help  her  mother,  who  was  very  sick,  but  she 
seemed  to  grow  weaker  each  day. 

At  last,  one  night,  the  poor  sick  mother  whispered,  "If 
only  I  could  have  a  drink  of  clear  cold  water,  I  know  I 
could  get  well."  When  the  child  heard  this,  she  remem- 
bered that  some  one  had  said  that  there  was  one  spring 

—  away  up  on  the  mountain  —  which  still  had  clear  water 
in  it.    It  was  a  long  way  from  her  home  and  the  night  was 
dark,  and  she  was  not  a  very  brave  little  girl;    but  she 
tried  to  forget  how  dark  the  way  would  be,  and  taking  her 
tin  dipper  started  out  to  find  the  spring. 

The  way  was  dark,  just  as  she  had  thought  it  would  be, 
and  the  stony  path  was  rough  to  her  feet,  but  every  time 
she  felt  afraid  she  remembered  that  she  was  trying  to  help 
one  who  loved  her  dearly,  and  so  she  forgot  about  the 
darkness  of  the  night. 

After  walking  a  long,  long  way,  she  found  the  spring, 

—  yes,  and  the  water  bubbled  over  its  edges  in  a  clear, 
pure  stream,  just  as  she  had  heard  it  did.    The  child  was 
filled  with  joy.    Now  she  could  really  help  her  mother  by 
taking  her  the  one  thing  she  needed;    and  she  filled  her 

194 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  DIPPER  195 

dipper,  filled  it  to  the  very  brim,  and  started  for  home, 
happy  as  she  could  be,  for  now  mother  could  have  the 
drink  of  cold  water  which  she  needed  to  make  her  well. 

She  walked  very  carefully,  for  she  did  not  wish  to  spill 
one  drop  of  the  precious  water.  The  stony  path  seemed 
smoother  and  the  dark  night  grew  lighter  as  she  left  the 
spring,  and  she  almost  sang  as  she  went  down  the  steep 
hill. 

"Bow-wow,  bow-wow,"  said  a  little  dog  who  was  lying 
by  the  path,  too  weary  to  stand.  "Please  give  me  a  drink! " 
The  little  girl  listened,  but  she  held  the  dipper  closer  to  her 
side,  for  the  water  was  for  her  mother. 

"Bow-wow,  bow-wow!"  said  the  dog  faintly.  "Just  a 
few  drops  of  water  will  make  me  strong."  And  the  little 
child  remembered  that  mother  had  always  told  her  to  be 
kind  to  animals,  so  she  poured  a  few  drops  of  the  precious 
water  into  the  palm  of  her  hand  and  the  dog  lapped  it  and 
gave  a  joyous  little  bark,  which  said  plainly,  "Thank  you, 
thank  you,  dear  loving  child."  Then  he  ran  away. 

The  child  could  not  see  what  happened  to  her  dipper  as 
she  walked  on,  but  the  stars  saw  and  sang  for  joy.  It  had 
turned  into  silver  and  the  water  seemed  to  sparkle  with 
light.  Carefully  she  walked,  guarding  the  cup  as  she  went 
on.  When  she  was  nearly  home,  a  stranger  stood  in  the 
pathway,  and  seeing  the  water  in  her  cup,  asked  her  for 
a  drink,  for  he,  too,  was  suffering  with  thirst.  Again  the 
child  guarded  the  dipper  with  her  hands,  for  so  little  water 
would  be  left  if  she  should  give  to  each  one  who  asked  of 
her.  And  she  pressed  her  hand  over  the  top  of  the  dipper, 
determined  that  no  water  should  be  lost  this  time.  She 
raised  her  eyes  to  the  stranger's  face  as  she  refused  his 
request.  Oh,  how  tired  he  looked,  and  how  sad!  Quickly 
she  lifted  her  dipper  to  his  lips,  and  with  eyes  filled  with 
tears,  begged  him  to  drink  of  the  precious  water. 


196      THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

A  wonderful  white  light  filled  the  air  and  a  voice  said, 
"Blessed  is  he  that  giveth  a  cup  of  water  in  my  name." 
Then  all  was  dark.  The  stranger  had  disappeared  but  the 
dipper  became  more  precious  still,  —  a  dipper  of  gold  in- 
stead of  one  of  silver  was  in  the  child's  hands. 

The  little  girl  ran  home;  straight  to  her  mother's  bed- 
side she  went.  "Here  is  the  precious  water,  mother  dear," 
said  she.  "Drink  and  grow  strong  again."  The  little 
child's  mother  raised  the  golden  dipper  to  her  lips  and  as 
she  drank  the  dipper  shone  with  jewels,  and  left  her  hands 
to  shine  in  the  dark  blue  sky  of  night,  and  to  tell  to  all 
the  world  the  story  of  a  loving  child  who  forgot  herself 
hi  serving  others. 

Retold  from  an  old  legend. 


LESSON  40 
THE   COMING   OF  THE  KING 


Hymn:   "Doing  Our  Part."    (Page  226) 

Prayer:    (The  prayer  for  the  month). 

For  the  Nature  Talk:  Marigold  buds;  pine  tassels;  oak  leaves. 

Memory  Verse:  There's  nothing  so  kingly  as  kindness.  y 

Handwork:    Mark  around  oak  leaves. 

TEACHING  SUGGESTIONS 

SHOW  the  gold  color  of  the  buds  and  the  beauty  of  the 
leaves.    Oak  leaves  which  have  been  made  into  a  gar- 
land will  add  interest  to  the  story. 

Explain  about  a  herald,  and  the  trumpet.  The  excite- 
ment of  expecting  a  king,  the  preparations  for  him,  the 
pleasure  that  cleanliness  and  order  and  beauty  give,  the 
joy  of  giving  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  one  who  is  thirsty, 
of  giving  the  best  seat  to  the  tired  visitor,  are  points  to  be 
made.  Try  to  appreciate  and  make  the  children  under- 
stand, without  analyzing,  that  the  kindness  on  the  face 
and  the  sun  on  the  head  of  the  man  made  him  seem  a 
king.  "There's  nothing  so  kingly  as  kindness." 


197 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  KING 

BY  LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 

SOME  children  were  at  play  in  their  playground  one 
day  when  a  herald  rode  through  the  town,  blowing  a 
trumpet,  and  crying  aloud,  "The  King!  the  King  passes 
by  this  road  today.  Make  ready  for  the  King!" 

The  children  stopped  their  play  and  looked  at  one  another. 

"Did  you  hear  that?"  they  said.  "The  King  is  coming. 
He  may  look  over  the  wall  and  see  our  playground;  who 
knows?  We  must  put  it  in  order." 

The  playground  was  sadly  dirty,  and  in  the  corners 
were  scraps  of  paper  and  broken  toys,  for  these  were  care- 
less children.  But  now,  one  brought  a  hoe,  and  another 
a  rake,  and  a  third  ran  to  fetch  the  wheelbarrow  from 
behind  the  garden  gate.  They  labored  hard,  till  at  length 
all  was  clean  and  tidy. 

"Now  it  is  clean!"  they  said;  "but  we  must  make  it 
pretty,  too,  for  kings  are  used  to  fine  things;  maybe  he 
would  not  notice  mere  cleanness,  for  he  may  have  it  all 
the  time." 

Then  one  brought  sweet  rushes  and  strewed  them  on 
the  ground;  and  others  made  garlands  of  oak  leaves  and 
pine  tassels  and  hung  them  on  the  walls;  and  the  littlest 
one  pulled  marigold  buds  and  threw  them  all  about  the 
playground,  "to  look  like  gold,"  he  said. 

When  all  was  done  the  playground  was  so  beautiful  that 
the  children  stood  and  looked  at  it,  and  clapped  their 
hands  with  pleasure. 

"Let  us  keep  it  always  like  this!"  said  the  littlest  one; 
and  the  others  cried,  "Yes!  yes!  that  is  what  we  will  do." 

198 


THE  COMING  OF  THE  KING  199 

They  waited  all  day  for  the  coining  of  the  King,  but 
he  never  came;  only,  towards  sunset,  a  man  with  travel- 
worn  clothes,  and  a  kind,  tired  face  passed  along  the  road, 
and  stopped  to  look  over  the  wall. 

"What  a  pleasant  place!"  said  the  man.  "May  I  come 
in  and  rest,  dear  children?" 

The  children  brought  him  in  gladly,  and  set  him  on  the 
seat  that  they  had  made  out  of  an  old  cask.  They  had 
covered  it  with  the  old  red  cloak  to  make  it  look  like  a 
throne,  and  it  made  a  very  good  one. 

"It  is  our  playground!"  they  said.  "We  made  it  pretty 
for  the  King,  but  he  did  not  come,  and  now  we  mean  to 
keep  it  so  for  ourselves." 

"That  is  good!"  said  the  man. 

"Because  we  think  pretty  and  clean  is  nicer  than  ugly 
and  dirty!"  said  another. 

"That  is  better!"  said  the  man. 

"And  for  tired  people  to  rest  hi!"  said  the  littlest  one. 

"That  is  best  of  all!"  said  the  man. 

He  sat  and  rested,  and  looked  at  the  children  with  such 
kind  eyes  that  they  came  about  him,  and  told  him  all 
they  knew;  about  the  five  puppies  in  the  barn,  and  the 
thrush's  nest  with  four  blue  eggs,  and  the  shore  where  the 
gold  shells  grew;  and  the  man  nodded  and  understood  all 
about  it. 

By  and  by  he  asked  for  a  cup  of  water,  and  they  brought 
it  to  him  in  the  best  cup,  with  the  gold  sprigs  on  it:  then 
he  thanked  the  children,  and  rose  and  went  on  his  way; 
but  before  he  went  he  laid  his  hand  on  then*  heads  for  a 
moment,  and  the  touch  went  warm  to  their  hearts. 

The  children  stood  by  the  wall  and  watched  the  man  as 
he  went  slowly  along.  The  sun  was  setting,  and  the  light 
fell  in  long  slanting  rays  across  the  road. 

"He  looks  so  tired!"  said  one  of  the  children. 


200     THE  LITTLE  CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

"But  he  was  so  kind!"  said  another. 
"See!"  said  the  littlest  one.     "How  the  sun  shines  on 
his  hair!    it  looks  like  a  crown  of  gold." 

From  The  Golden  Windows  published  by 
Little,  Brown  &  Company.  Per- 
mission of  author  and  publishers. 


SONGS  FOR  USE  IN 
THE  LITTLE   CHILD  IN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


Anon. 


Heavenly  Shepherd,  True  and  Holy.  203 

JOHN  B.  DYKES. 


qT4   »:    »  -* — * 


Heav'n  -  ly  Shep-herd,  true   and      ho    -     ly,  Hear,     oh,  hear     us   while   we     pray  ! 


• 


^g 


re):  i 


±=g 


s 


P 


^^ 


^ 


Let     Thy   chil  -  dren,  weak    and      low    -   ly, 
iw- 


Be      Thy   care       in     life's  young   day. 


^— < 


^^ 


1 


A       -     MEN. 


PRAYER 

HELP  OUR  HEARTS  TO  LOVE  THEE, 

HELP  OUR  HANDS  TO  SERVE  THEE, 

HELP  OUR  LIPS  TO  PRAISE  THEE, 
FOREVER. 

A  men. 


204 


Praise  Him! 


UNISON. 


££ 


t=^ 


.   -P  •- 


f 


Praise  Him,  praise  Him,     all      ye     lit  -  tie  chil  -  dren  1   God       is       love  I    God      is       love  I 


#  T^'fr  ft     1  1  —          —  1~ 

>   «  :    ^  ^  —  3 

—  i  —  i  — 

HH 

™     4  j.   *  —  L 

Praise  Him,  praise  Him, 

f       * 

r  —  F  —  r  gl^  ^  .^'JF  ^  a" 

all      ye     lit  -  tie     chil  -  dren  !  God      is     Love  !  God       is     Love  1 

*                           -                                  1  rit"                     ^ 
—=—     —  1-*  «  ^  1  1  J—  H 

^^-£-y-fc  —  I  F  1  F  

't>      i          i 

^    r     j 

T     1      3 

-»     >      i   II 

From  Disciples  Strokes.    Copyright.    Used  by  permission. 


CLOSING  PRAYER 

MAY  WE,  THY  CHILDREN,  HAPPY  BE 
IN  LOVING  ALL  AND  SERVING  THEE. 

A  men. 


Something  Happy. 


205 


HKNRY  VAN  DYKE. 


A.  B.  PON  SON  BY. 


bJVnn^     p    f   -f- 

t=^==^==^=  =f= 

1  f    F    f    -r  —  I 

\*\)          1               r 
«j 

Ev      -     'ry      morn    -  ing 

oft       1        J*     J        i 

•      ^ii 

seems        to          say     "There's 

i  >:  —  i  f  —  i 

some   -    thing    hap    -     py 

I             J*         I 

yffji    J-  *  —  J  -J  —  ' 



—  fr  *  €  

(Ch  1'  —  &  9  *— 

3  —  \— 

r§  *     * 

*-T                                                            *»* 

LL                 I                                     r* 

1  —  JH 
•&-. 

L_j  J  1 
I                                     0 

fci&t  —  i  —  r  —  i*  — 

—  -  — 

—4  3  C  p  

i&*&—*(  —  *  »  

=*= 

^^  —  r  —  1  — 

marcato. 


fl>    '       •>       '    1   j 

—  J  1  E  ^ 

£9                   || 

CT                                                 » 

on              the             way,           And           God           sends           love               to            you  !" 
A  ft           J                      i                                                                                          I 

J'TT          J 

s 

/k  "  «  BJ  m 

1  —  , 

—  d  J^  ^— 

^  —  i  1  1 

—  H  

—  «i  9  ^y     —  »-*  —  ' 

i)             9                 9                 9 
r-rdi  -^-^  

j^.        ^. 

w<zr<rd/i». 

e*f  —  1  

^^11 

1   S 

3  1  1  

—  H 

From  rAc  Children's  Year,  Milton  Bradley  Co.    Used  by  permission. 


206 


Happiness. 


ELIZABETH  H.  DUNHAM. 


Would    you      find  the    way 

=t=± 


to     be     hap    -    py     to  -  day  ?  i .  Hold  sun-shine  in    your 

2.  Then  make  an  -  oth  -  er 


*      gj 


£ 


^r 


/j/  verse. 


m* 


Jf. 
heart  ; 


Let       ev    -   'ry      word      be     kind; 


If      trou  -  bled,     nev  -  er 


M 


m 


D.C.y  2nd -verse. 

—  sr\— ,' 


P 


m 


r 


mind  but  brave  -  ly      do          your      part. 


hap    -  py;If     you     do,  if    you 


11   Jf 

J     J         1    ,                                ..' 

>K1Tit  'It  —  ~f^»  — 

c3  »  r  d— 

1  — 

1                 5  1 

i(T\             ~\                 * 

*    3  f=2  *  J  —  ^^  y 

o  ^       —  ^-14 

do, 

Ah,        dear,      be  -  lieve    me,  Yo 
J           J                     J                 * 

u'll  be      hap     -     py          too. 

J                                               !      ' 

/4B~\*TT   T!|                  ^^       ^ 

^11                  » 

J 

j              _i      C     fl          II 

CL^H  it       J      S      B       x 

«  ^  

5— 

—  3  *^  ^  ^  *4I 

^"^   ft  ff  ^  — 

--^  T±-          ~-=A  1 

1  1— 

-*«>  <sj  ^    »    ' 

i 

-                    .  —4.          •+• 

r3 

O  Little  Birds. 


207 


German  Air. 


O        lit    -    tie     birds     that     all       day    long        Car  •  ol        in       ev      -     'ry        tree, 


i 


^^*~s  ^       ^ 


i 


i=ti±=I 


What      is        the       se      -    cret      of      your    song,      The    mean  -  ing      of         your      glee  ? 


§ 


i  ]  : J I 


&^ 


i 

You      are       so      ver    -    y,       ver    -    y      glad, —      How     lov   -  ing    God    must     be  I     . 


^m 


V 


208 

THOMAS 

nttfl 

A 

B.  POLLOCK. 

Prayer. 

i 

H.  WOODS. 

^ffjfo-   | 

1        |        1      J  -U 

i     1   J      J     d= 

=pi-  1          [        | 

Make 

—  *  —  5~J  «  —  w  1~ 

us      brave,   with  -  out        a 

^   1  J  —  J  3- 

fear;      Make      us        hap 

-  py,     full       of     cheer, 

fjgDdtJfe  :-»- 

-n-  —  r  —  r    £ 

—  ±^  1  —  f.  *  

E  E  1  1 

^^-  ft  ^  •  'lm 

-p  —  h  —  K—  f- 

J^-3  1  '                1  '  

—  (•—  f-     -U  —  1 

1 

r  r 

j 

r 

r         r 

t/  if  Li  ff 

i       4 

•*T1            1              '                     1                     t 

H 

y£        fl 

1  1 

'—^i              fll           J             ! 

_!                                                 Ill 

rfr\    "          i 

—  9  —  •  —  d  —  •  —  ^— 

-=J  —  1—  d  —  u^  fe 

—4—    g  ^^  —  H 

Sure 

—  %  9  *  —  '  —  ^  *>  
that    Thou     art       al  •   ways 

*            *            *            «            m 

near,  —  Hear      us,       O 

srz            m         m         P 

our       Fa       -       therl 

recce 

-Slip" 

r3      —  i  —  H 

s  —  ^  —  r:  — 

—  m  p-  F  F  — 

i  '"  r  r 

f  '  1  u 

The  Willing  Heart. 


209 


I 


5 


Of      ev  -  'ry   man    that  giv  -  eth     it     will  -  ing  -  ly     with   his      heart,      with    his   heart, 


^m 


i 


I 


± 


m 


^ 


*=i 


« 


I      will     take,     will     take    his      of  -  fer  -  ing,        I      will     take     his        of  -  fer  -  ing. 


I 


idES 


1 


¥ 


210 


Offertory  March. 


(After  the  offering  has  been  taken  up,  let  the  children  stop  marching,  standing  quietly  while  they  sing 
the  prayer.') 

HANDEL.     Arr. 


m 


=9 


i 


± 


-£2_ 


-^^-^-     --"- 


r 


JL 


I    g     g 


^W 


1  JM  ~h  — 

—  i  J^~ 

=i= 

^^^^     j 

j  f=^  1 

J                       .* 

*•      J 

• 

*  ^ 

i 

—  *  —  ^  —  ^  — 
•*•        « 

^       ^        J 

r 

i 

ZfcX*?f  tt  ,  ,                                               ^ 

-F  •  ; 

s  —  j  — 

^^ft  ff  ^  —  ,  U 

—  1  —     * 

-j  j 

*  —  i  —  i 

"^  r  r  r 

* 

All    things  come    from    Thee,     O 


i 


f  T  TT 


.i_i 


Lord,        And        of    Thine      own      have      we       giv    -    en        to      Thee.        A  -  MEN. 


m?=p3 


r^^ 


From  Songs  for  Little  People,  Danielson  and  Conant.    The  Pilgrim  Press.    Courtesy  of  editors  and  publishers. 


Now  Thank  We  All  Our  God. 


211 


MARTIN  RINKART,  1636. 
Trans.  CATHERINE  WINKWORTH,  1858. 


JOHANN   CRtiGER,  1647. 


« 

1                       1 

1       1       i         i 

/T\ 

ilffi 

• 

— 

—a)  aj  

L^;     g 

~d  —  J 

!       1 

=£=J 

Now    thank     we 

-.         *         — 

-J  Jles-    1    w    1    »  *  9  »    1   ^  » 

all       our      God,        With    heart     and       hands    and      voic 

«  —  l 

es, 

fe):  4 

*— 

1  \m  &•  

— 

—  ©-  —  1—  i  

-f  1 

^T  —  i  

m         , 

—  ^—  b  —  i 

,  _  p  

1 

T" 

i 

1        j 

E 

5 

I 

F~^T~ 

1   .P 

J  

| 

1 

i 

—  hT 

^v 

xCb  —  M  — 

M  

^-    i 

y        •             « 

-J- 



VMV            4r 

5 

«         •         • 

<=j  .  i 

*        *            1 

* 

r1^7  m 

Who    won  -  drous  things  ^hath    done,          In    whom     His        world 

re    - 

^* 
joic 

es; 

i^* 

s 

• 

• 

>*;       i 

*          I 

Bui 

• 

E 

S  •    1 

N_ 

1 

™-c-9  — 

P  p.  1 

t  1  

—  •  — 

- 

1 

I 

n 

UJ 

.J) 

^r^  .  1  ha 

i    i 

•"•• 

1             '             |                        • 

m^—0 

=*\  —  J  i  5- 

-* 

1  —  it  

—  w 

~$+ 

'  —  ^  —                —  *\  — 

^  '  1 

Who      from        our      moth   -  er's        arms        Hath 

blessed 

•  1 

us          on          our         way 

0  f*  tt3  '  —  <s>~!  • 

fe?)i  —  ' 

i  —  l  1  1  
-tf  !•  1  

1- 

•= 

o  

i  

^*^I7  — 

"  

~w*  P  

^f  

L^ 

^—  h- 

i  1  

Us. 

P 

' 

i 

xL-9  — 

-H    ,^ 

-55 

^+-1 

l  h- 

E  —  3 

V)2.._. 

^  ^-l 

J  —  J  —  J   tf*  '^ 

•    1      9 

f  *  C*M_I_C^_£-4_|| 
•9-       -&-*         ^^    -*&• 

With        count  -  less      gifts      of      love,       And     still        is       ours      to    -  day.          A  -  MEN. 

J        ^ 

>  —  *  *  l  —  "T*  i  ^ 

,         ^^ 

•  J    , 

^  ^ 

.     ^  ^ 

fe)«. 

931 

'  —  ^~H  —  53: 

1            1 

-^-te 

=t 

F 

• 

111 

^•^y  —  *^  —  '  —  |- 

—  _j  —  i  

—  —  | 

f  — 

-F    F    1 

•f-s—-  —  H 

a 

1 

o/.                =. 

Bells  of  Christmas. 


Chimes  interlude  between  verses  if  desired. 


Lively. 


(fo  |—  i  •  s  f  —  E 

^-— 

K~P  ^— 

g  .    ^    X 

-W-H*  —  3  —  J- 

ffi  j  j  j-i  —      —  w  •  >  ^  ^  j.'  '  —    *  v  —  *  —  *  —  —  -  —  • 

i.  Hark!    the    bells      of  Christ  -  mas        On         the  frost    -  y       air,            Ring  -  ing   their    glad 
2.  Sweet  the    bells      of  Christ  -  mas         Sound    on  this     glad      day,            Tell  -  ing     of       the 
3.  Loud    the    bells      of  Christ  -  mas        Peal       o'er  all       the       earth,         Tell  -  ing      ev  -   'ry 
4.  Ring  !   ye     bells      of  Christ  -  mas,        While     the  chil  -  dren     sing,         "  Glo  -  ry       in      the 

JT                                             J                 h 

__  j  — 

-1  "  ^ 

-*-T-*-=  

^—  ^  —  h-^fH 

9     J    J  J   f:           4.     J-s^>  Vfs          ^         f.         ^. 

/jj^j  I  

-d  i— 

^  1  

0 

^-^- 

P^  4,  

-j-  p  

CHORUS. 


tid    -  ings, — Joy      is     ev    -    'ry  -  where. 
Christ  Child   Cra-  died    in          the     hay. 

na  -  tion       Of     that    dear  Child's  birth, 
high  -  est,"  Bells    of     Christ -mas,  ring! 


Ring  •  ing,     swing  -  ing,     Now    the  Christ  is 


m 


i 


born,  Ring  -  ing,  swing  -  ing,  Swing  -  ing,   sing  -  ing,     Now      the     Christ  is      born. 


Uied  by  permission  of  the  composer,  Mrs.  Lucy  Stock  Chapin.    Copyright.    Published  by  W.  A.  Wilde  Company. 


The  King  of  Love  my  Shepherd  Is.  213 

HENRY  WILLIAMS  BAKER.  JOHN  BACCHUS  DYKES.    1868, 


S 


s 


m 


1.  The    King   of     love   my    Shep-herd   is,    Whose  good-ness  fail  •  eth       nev    -    er; 

2.  Where  streams  of    liv  -  ing       wa  -  ter   flow    My      ran  •  som'd  soul  He       lead  -  eth  ; 


Ai 


I      noth  •  ing  lack    if        I         am    His,      And    He    is    mine  for  •  ev 
And  where    the  ver  -  dant  pas  -  tures  grow,   With  food  ce  -  les  -  tial    feed 


f  i  r1 

'  ir 


i 

ir     r 


er. 
eth. 


214 

A 

non. 

—  1  -*  

Silent 

Night 

—  h-J  «  —  =}r- 

Gennan  Volkslied. 

!              N 
-^  J-               -1 

Si     -     lent    night! 

•P-            •*•        M 

g:  i   f       ^.  1   .       •      g. 

peace  -  ful       night!      All      things  sleep, 

-*--*-                         «           *        "*•  ' 

=^        3      f:    J 

shep  -  herds     keep 

W-^  —  P  te  fc-j_ 

—  P  P  p  •  1  .  .  ;    >      : 

i—  ,  _  1  1  

'  —  1— 

«         • 

1 

(5r-t-  ~f- 

—  f  -:- 

=* 

-^  

-JP-| 

!' 

— 

k— 

\~f~ 

=£ 

*    i  *  — 

—  *-!  —  « 

— 

-*?- 

Watch         on 

Beth 

•  le-hem's 

si 

lent 

hill, 

And 

ua 

seen,      while 

fc):  •  —  —  *  — 

-f^- 

-*  

i  —  i  

*      rvs 

—  i  •  

+-«»  

r 

£k 

^  £  1  £  

—jm.  —  I  — 

E  — 

—  te 

f  C  J 

still,        An  >    gels    watch     a   -  bore, 


m  • 


An    -  gels      watch    a  -  bove. 


• — i ; * m     ' — >— ^- 

& 

3  Light  around  1  joyous  sound  1 
Angel  voices  wake  the  air ; 
"  Glory  be  to  God  in  heaven ; 
Peace  on  earth  to  you  is  given ; 
Christ,  the  Saviour,  is  come." 


i  Bright  the  star  shines  afar, 
Guiding  travlers  on  their  way, 
Who  their  gold  and  incense  bring, 
OfPrings  to  the  promised  king, 
Child  of  David's  line. 


Cot  stars  from  yellow  paper  and  paste  in  border. 


For  the  Beauty  of  the  Earth.  215 

FOLLIOTT  SANDFORD  PIERPONT,*  1864.  CONRAD  KOCHER,  1838. 


p 


For       the      beau   -  ty       of        the     earth,         For      the    splen  -  dor      of       the    skies, 


M*  r"  i  F  F  M 


f 


& 


r^r1 

*    ^  ^ 


For       the       love  which  from      our     birth          O    •    ver      and        a  -  round      us        lies  ; 


@ 


n 


i 


^ 


rf- 


« 

r 


*      P 
y 

rul 


Lord    of         all,     to    Thee   we        raise       This,   our  hymn   of     grate   -  ful praise.    A-MEN 
J 


i 


§ 


s 


216 


God  of  the  Light. 

AIT.  from  Second  Symphony,  BKETHOVBN. 


u.       P 

r\  *f       •*                               *.             i 

jf  ff^-                        IS           ^           1 

—  

^1_  —  £^  1^  _J  J  +—-  0  £E  £  

_^_  

**t*    *             1                                                                                           1  4             ^2             [ 

God        of          the        light,                                  At       whose      com  • 
. 

mand, 

7r*ft  —                        ~~f~i      *                 —  ^         J 

,q    J^^i 

KP»  j    d    J  <p:            '83! 

^  ' 

.1                                                                         i 

i 

fr)ilcl       1*            i*            *            —  *                                      *            •            — 

—4                           H 

&^Q                              L                P 

^  3 

!             p^:             *             ^ 

1  —  i  ' 

-p^.            * 

_j|^ff  —  2  P  —  F  P  «5  «H  1  P  — 

—  —  I  

fa—          -T,  \g>  U—   —  &    H          --•—                —  •— 

• 

*J            1^ 

Out         of          the       dark    -    ness,                 Light                        hath    s 

.hined, 

•      •      •         . 

nu      '       q    J=  =_j   •  ""™i 

3                             J 

_r  TT                                   J                   4                 l'    "      '                                                                                  tf 

i                       i 

g  .    J     *  

<m  —  9  .  •—  -f-j  i  :  y  

_S     j 

\j       9          9          0                                            m  . 
^^ 

P- 

ft*^3i         "                                                                '                                                                        *    * 

p  • 

l^^tf-                                 —  I—  —   —  W-;  —  >  * 

—  j  

' 

•                      *                                                                                                                            1 

Fed.                        # 

<* — ?^-^     r.  =1 
^    ^  — ' '      ^  "+^ 


i 


Out  of  the  dark  -  ness,         Light       hath        shined. 


i  r  .  i  < 

f  j     i:f=f 

^    er 


ff 


Ped. 


p^.  *       ^</. 


The  Still,  Small,  Holy  Voice. 


217 


MINOT  J.  SAVAGE. 


j  j  i 


There      is          a        still,     small,    ho    -     ly      voice,    The     voice      of       God     most     high, 


> 

u    I 


*-^-^ 

That     whis  -  pers        al   -   ways      in         our    heart,     And    says      that     He         is        by. 


HEE 

E=*     *     i  =y= 

—  «  —  £  — 

•  .b 
—  K 

•  — 

Sr  —  »—  T  —  r-i 

^  '  —  H 

3ta^.p  ^  ^          '  '    JX          ~~ 

^  1  1      C     1 

EB 

fn"  g~r  r1^31 

From  X  Boo&  of  Song  and  Service,  Uniurian  Sunday  School  Society. 


218 


Loft  Thine  Eyes. 


From  "  Elijah?  MENDELSSOHN. 


J.   J  J  r  ic- 


^r^-^ 


Lift        thine     eyes,       O         lift        thine    eyes        to  the  moun    -  tains,  whence 


n4    *• 


Lift        thine     eyes,       O         lift        thine    eyes        to  the          moun  -  tains,  whence 


@ 


F*  J.    .H3* 


Lift        thine     eyes,        O         lift        thine    eyes  to      the  moun   -  tains,  whence 


Bgt£ 


r      r 


com      -      eth,      whence        com     -      eth,      whence         com 


eth      help. 


com      -       eth,     whence       com       -      eth,       whence        com          -          eth          help. 


m 


-+ *- 


com      -     eth,       whence      com       -      eth,      whence       com      -      eth  help. 


Franconia 


219 


BROOKE  HERFORD. 


BRISTOL  TUNE  BOOK. 


R 

^  .^ 

•*—  J—  i 

t=| 

-? 

—  5? 

!-U:       J      , 

• 

I  1 

f=| 

ic  Lead  us,  Heav'nly  Fa  -  ther, 

2.  Lead  us,  Heav'nly  Fa  »  ther, 

3.  Lead  us,  Heav'nly  Fa  -  ther, 

4.  Lead  us,  Heav'nly  Fa  -  ther, 


Lead  us,  Shep-herd  kind; 

In  our  op'n  •  ing  way; 

As  the  wav   grows  long; 

By  Thy  voi  -  ces  clear, 


Eft'"  ft-**  

p-if   r  .  i 

r  r  r-F- 

r^  —  i 

ir^-P  ty    2 

lEf^  —  3  —  3~ 

—  i 

- 

*= 

—  < 

»  — 

42  

f=* 

r  r  r  r 

j  j  j  j 

1 

We         are 
Lead        as 
Be          our 
Through  the 

^   '  T     *      ' 

on    -    ly      chil    •    dren, 
in        the     morn  -      ing 
strong  sal  -  va     -     tion, 
proph-ets      ho     -      ly,              Tl 

-f  —  *—  •£  1  —  =-H 

—  —  *  —  ^  —  §*  — 

Weak  and  young    and 
Of      our      lit    -    tie 
Be      our      joy  -    ous 
trough  the       Sa  .  viour 

f  f  f'  r 

___  —  i 

blind, 
day. 
song, 
dear,  — 

—  §?~s  1 

a 

| 

i 

:  h 

i 

1 

1        1       i       i 

=  —  1 

[L              O(  *              m 

i= 

J  —  hd  

-J-;  J  J  ^~ 

;  1 

'                   3                 W 

I 

3      f     -UA 

=4=tw= 

\-2-  — 

All          the      way    be  - 
While      our    hearts  are 
Glad   -  dened  by     Thy 
He         who    took    the 

fore          us                  Thou        a  -  lone    dost 
hap    •     py,                 While     our    souls    are 
mer    -    cies,                Chast  -  ened    by      Thy 
chil    -    dren                 In         his     arm     of 

f-         ^            .Dffl'       «       ff      f 

k         \y  =—  -^-^  —  ^  —  k  —  k— 

L-Zr:  • 
know; 
free, 
rod, 
love: 

jrfab  —  H  +- 

t 

—  i 

^ 

4-  1- 

,  ,  (_ 

1  —  -  —  r— 

H 

Lead        us, 
May         we 
May         we 
May         we 

&53E  —  i= 

Heav'nly       Fa     -    ther,                Sing  -  ing      as        we 
give    our    child  •    hood                As       a       song      to 
walk  through  all         things             Hum  -  bly    with    our 
all      be      gath  •    ered                 In        his    home     a    - 

-£  ^—  H=2  ?  ,-f  £  (J  (9  r 

—  .  b  ±3—      —  ±3  =  P  1  

-^  —  H 

Thee. 
God. 
bove. 

-fc  —  H 

^%  r  —  F- 

— 

1  h 

i              ^  —  . 

—  :  H 

220  With  Happy  Voices  Ringing. 

WILLIAM  GEORGE  TARRANT,  1888.  SAMUEL  SEBASTIAN  WESLEY,  1864. 


i 


5 


With    hap  -    py       voic  -   es       ring    -    ing,     Thy     chil  -  dren,   Lord,     ap  -   pear,       Their 


J: 


m 


joy  -  ous      prais  -   es       bring     -     ing  In         an  -  thems   sweet   and      clear.         For 

—  tf 

r  .r 


I 


i 


M  ^~t~ 

5= 

T     j     j     J 

"~zJ  —  1  —  I  — 

m  b  * 

skies 

ssm  —  P  

of      gold    -  en 

P     f     4 

j  gi      J   »= 

splen     -     dor,        1 

J       j    .- 

4>  — 

'or 

•- 

—  *-:  9  9  9  

az     -     ure     roll  -  ing 

f  :  V    r-  ,-r 

sea,          For 

[ft):  b  b 

1  P  I-J 

-^*^  —  ^  —  *  —  HK— 

P7  —  |  —  t  

wbi?  f  

1           I 

F       1— 

•  — 

—  t^— 

-1-^  

(foPb  g  ^  •!  j  — 

~3~  HT 

-i- 

=f= 

—  1-n 

rt  — 

—  h 

bios  -  soms  sweet    and 

feb  p     g    f=P=i 

«L  -5.  '-J 

ten  -  der,  C 

\^  r  |f 

r- 

-3 

Lor 

i  —  « 

.    J.    ^.--. 

d,     we      wor  •  s 

J      i 

r 

lip 

<*»-;  
-&•' 

Thee. 

A- 

MEN. 

-^-H 

*         ^  1           

J  

n  — 

1    CJ 

—  H 

Waiting  to  Grow. 


221 


AMANDA  TURNER. 


i.  Lit    -     tie  white        snow        -        drop        just       wak      -      ing         up, 


J  C 


Vi    -   o  -  let,   dai  -  sy    and  sweet  but   -  ter  -  cup ;  Un  -  der      the  leaves  and     the 


m 


ice       and        the      snow, 


Wait 


ing, 


Wait  -   ing        to     grow! 


t=t 


•*-=*- 


« 


From  The  Kindergarten  and  Primary  Magazine,  by  permission. 

2  Think  what  a  host  of  queer  little  seeds,  3  Think  of  the  roots  getting  ready  to  sprout, 

Soon  to  make  flowers  and  mosses  and  weeds,  Reaching  their  slender,  brown  fingers  about, 

Are  under  the  leaves  and  the  ice  and  the  snow,  Under  the  leaves  and  the  ice  and  the  snow, 
Waiting,  waiting  to  grow!  Waiting,  waiting  to  growl 


4  Nothing's  so  small,  or  hidden  so  well 
That  God  cannot  find  it  and  presently  tell 
His  sun  where  to  shine,  and  His  rain  where  to  go, 
Helping,  helping  them  grow. 


222 


Consider  the  Lilies. 


JOSEPH  BARNBY,  1868. 


•r-i-  -*-     -*-     -*- 


A  -  MEN. 


, '  if  r  >r  r  IP  \ 


He  hides  within  the  lily, 

A  strong  and  tender  Care, 
That  wins  the  earth-born  atoms 

To  glory  of  the  air; 
He  weaves  the  shining  garments 

Unceasingly  and  still, 
Along  the  quiet  waters, 

In  niches  of  the  hill. 


O  Toiler  of  the  lily, 

Thy  touch  is  in  the  manl 
No  leaf  that  dawns  to  petal 

But  hints  the  angel-plan: 
The  flower-horizons  open, 

The  blossom  vaster  shows; 
We  hear  thy  wide  worlds  echo, 

'See  how  the  lily  grows!' 

WILLIAM  C.  GANNETT. 


CLARA  T.  GUILD. 


The  Friendly  Dark.  223 

ELIZABETH  H.  DUNHAM. 


3.  When  the  friend -ly    dark    -    ness       Falls    on   land  and 
2.   Dark-ness  soft   and    ten     -      der,      Stars  bright  o'er  our 


sea, 
heads, 


o 

O    •  ver  birds    and   flow 
Birds   and  flowers  and    chil 


ers,        A  -  round    you  and     me  ; 
dren     Sleep  -  ing        in   their  beds  ; 


J 


£ 


Then 
All 


with     twink  -  ling    splen 
are       from     the       Fa 


dor        Up          a    -    bove      so       high, 
ther,      And       His      care      for       all 


Stars 
Guides 


will       shine      out    bright 
thro'       light     and     dark 


In         the       dark  -  'ning       sky 
Spar  -  rows       lest      they        fall. 


224 


A  Child's  Prayer. 


i 


is 


Guide  us,  pro-tect    us,  Show  us    the   way.      Help  us,  dear  Fa- ther    just  for    to  -  day. 


i 


'•e*\   F^ 


£=  •!     •! 

r  *~F     *    •*- 


Hymn  of  Thanks 


225 


L.  C.  VOGML 


ist  stanza,  RALPH  W.  EMERSON. 
2nd  stanza,  LUCIA  C.  VOGKL. 


1.  For     flow   -   ers      that    grow 

2.  For     chil  •  dren     that    play 


a   -  bout        our     feet,       For       ten    -    der    grass   -  es 
a  -  bout        our     feet,       For       chil  -  dren's   voic    -  es 


m 


P 


Q& 

i 

—\  1       1 

i  —  l-"v  j  —  i  —  i 

ipK       C5              m 

J  1  H  1 

Hi  i  1 

"  1  H  H 

ea            _ 

gH                   1 

r                           i 

~^~             ~tr 

cool          and 
clear          and 

i  j 

sweet,      For 
sweet,      For 

1 

J  J  J 

song          of 
chil-dren's  bright 

J  J  J 

bird          and 
eyes  where  God's 

hum            of 
love          we 

bee, 
see, 

^«$—  ^  *  

1       1     J 

h4-  »  

1  J  

-zl  P- 

1 

E  p_J 

~~£  l  

LJ  p_J 

__j  

,  6*1  1  

1 

m 


& 


& 


m 


For      all  things  fair  we     hear  and    see,        Our    Fa  -  ther    in       heav'n, 

For      all      lit  -  tie     chil  -  dren  where  e'er    they  may     be,        Our     Fa  -  ther    in      heav'n, 


3 


£E 


m 


i\  r^ 

LL_l  J 

—  1  :  — 

I    -i   \  .1 

-Z3l  *— 

1  J 

—  H 

•^  —  &"?  —  •  — 

f     W   '  J.  >    •  g: 

Thee,       Our        Fa    -    ther          in      heav'n,          we      thank 

1  x  r-«  1  »  1  1  ^  

The 

e. 

we         thank 

•43!  ^  — 
^^    P  1  

-f  —  r  —  *- 

-P-L-1 

^—  f- 

~~H 

226 


E.  A.  CHURCH. 


Doing  Our  Part 

Anon.    Arr.  by  BENJAMIN  CARR,  1824. 


aaagf.          HI 

(fofrb  T  •-  —  *  —  i  H~ 

Ij  j  _|  i  j  j  j  j  i 

4    J    ^    | 

^2  4_iL  —  3  —  «  3- 

God         of      glo    •   ry, 

"T"  f"  ^    r 

God      of       Love,     On    -    ly         lit    -    tie 

-3  —  5  —  ^  —  • 

ones     are        we, 

re"  —  ^  —  Is  1 

^y.bT-4-  j-  —  I*  ^r— 

~  —                 —  k  —  r  —  — 

-!•  p  B 

J-j  1  I_|B  j  1  1  

i 

7iP^~~J  if1  —  J  J~~ 

J          J             |      1    >          J         j       jz| 

J    J   J    1 

Show       us     how      by 

i     3    ^  TJ     J     *     J  I 

work      to      prove       All       we        do        is 

-r    s    J  i-    r 

*\     *\            \ 

-0-        -J-        -&• 
un    -    to      Thee. 

™"^9-^  —  if  ••  b|  to  ^  — 
Ah,                  H      1          1 

^  '      'r  r  ^N 

y  i  *  b   _i        J              J 

^        _j                 i     _  1          1        1          i 

—0  BJ  —  1 

gxEz  —  T  —  1  —  1  —  *T- 

n     *j     ^Ij     j    1     ^1  " 

^  1 

-^  0-.  0  0  0  —  L 

As        we    walk     our 
,          /               J 

hap  -   py       way        Ten  -   der  make    each   i 
1         .                        J         J*                J 

riend   -  ly      heart, 

(W-:-^fc-  —  —  £  —  1  P=  - 

-^  —  f5  —  s  —  I—  T^  —  ?^  —  i  —  T~- 

-?  f-  £2  1 

sgby  L  —  ^  —  : 

1  1  ^         1  1^-^1  : 

T  —  L  —  i  — 

,                   1 

y  i  "  b              n 

i       !               m 

XL  b  k          J             J 

J             1               H                                m 

C^2  —  3^  —  3  —  •  —  ^  —  i 

J  —  4  —  zj  —  L_q  —  t  —  J  —  fl  —  »  —  4 

And      in   kind  -  ness    d 

-.  A_  •            _^&_ 

9       0      &  «  *-            J      '^L     ^ 
ly     by     day        May     we      do     our       lit  -  t 

r       *       J           ,      ^ 

e    part.        A  -  MEN. 

1 

;  p  r=4=    C  c  <  ^^ 

•  —  =i   Is  ^11 

r"  i   f 

1  !_„  F  *  ^> 

i 

—  s^_il  L-Ji 

Little  Lambs  So  White  and  Fair. 


227 


B.  L.  W. 


lOjto  1 

h  *  f*H 
—  K  9  d  *— 

-    l    i     K  r- 

1 

p^J  /V  3—  *H 

i.   Lit   -  tie    lambs     so     white     and 
2.  Now  they     lis   -  ten      and        o    - 

fair        Are      the     shep-  herd's    con   -  stant    care  ; 
bey,        Fol  -  lowing  where    he      leads     the       way  ; 
^         ^ 

-f  —  h-£  —  P— 

-F  f  i 

^b  t>  4  ^     ^ 

•           C     C 

-tH~^  —  ^~ 

—  1  P-  F  — 
—  \M  a  ha  — 

—  ^    .-K     h- 

-K  9  i  tf  

i 

J  —  p  1^  |X  — 

1*  ^  f*~T 

IS                    *          J 

-J  H 

KT  j  J  y    -3  J  '3.  '  «  <^ 

Now      he     leads   their      ten  -  der    feet         In    -    to 
Heav'n  -  ly       Fa  -  ther,     may      we       be        Thus      o   - 

/  *  —  3  —  3~-j  —  H 

pas  -  tures   green     and  sweet. 
be  -   dient      un    -    to     Thee  1 

m                       h                 — 

1  

"f  —  r&  —  w~ 

*—  •  <b  ll  — 

*-W^—  ^  —  ^  — 

P  

From  Song*  and  Gamttfor  Little  Ones,  by  arrangement  with  Oliver  Ditson  .Company. 


228  What  Can  Thy  Little  Children  Bring? 

CLARA  T.  GUILD. 


Arr.  from  GIOVANNI  1'iERLuiGi  DA  PALESTRINA,  1591 

«,   # 


£ 


f    AT* 


Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia! 
What  can  thy  little  children  bring 
To  show  their  thanks  to  God  our  King  ? 
Bring  happy  hearts  and  gladly  sing, 

Alleluiah! 

How  may  thy  children  best  serve  thee  ? 
For  willing  hands  and  hearts  have  we. 
Just  help  each  other,  so  serve  me  ! 

Alleluiah ! 


We  Thank  Thee,  Father. 


229 


EDWARD  A.  HORTON. 


i 


Arr.  by  HOWARD  M.  Dow. 


£ 


m 


18F-4- 


1.  We     thank    Thee,  Fa    -    ther,     For        all      that's    fair      and  bright, — Long    sun  -    ny 

2.  With  songs      we   praise    Thee ;  Our    thanks  shall     ev    -    er        rise      For      Thy     great 


£ 


£fd£ 


2=£: 
*^£ 


P 


I 


Oh            ^      J           \          1* 

w 

1             t          h 

fc 

J(   \*  ^            ™  |       A  1  g|  IP  

i 

1  —  3  —  1  —  •!  H  J— 

—  X  —  1  —  ~  H  ™  — 
—  »  —  —  —  Hrd  J  d  —  ' 

—  •!  1  i  1 

hours      by       day,        And      stars 
good  -  ness,    seen          In       earth     a 

by 

nd 

night;            For      homes   that 
skies;        Through     ev    -   'ry 

rf  rt  J    f  i 

hold       us      dear, 
path      we     tread, 

^^ 

Csdz                           II          i 
^b     »  0  *  —  1—  P  ^  

if— 

-^-H-^  —  £—  £- 

tli*         ^ 
—  *  ^  ^  1 

u    u    i    '  i     5 

^ 

-           ^ 

fat 


1 


Bless  -  ings  through  all   the    year !       Yes,  Thou    art     ev  -   er     near,     Car  -   ing    for      all. 
By      Thy  great  mer  -  cy      led,      Round     us     each    day     is    shed,   Love  from    on     high. 


•  if 


M 


£ 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


OCTO, 


f 


000990095 


D0 


BOOK  CARD 


University  Research 


